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View Full Version : Big 5, Tristar shotguns


akjunkie
08-15-2007, 9:38 AM
anyone heard of this company? these shotguns from Turkey? Phillipines?

http://www.tristarsportingarms.com/semi_automatics.html

-hanko
08-15-2007, 1:42 PM
anyone heard of this company? these shotguns from Turkey? Phillipines?

http://www.tristarsportingarms.com/semi_automatics.html
With no country of origin on the website, I'd suspect POS guns;). O/u's look like Beretta copies, I didn't check the others.

Likely suspects, Turkey, Phillipines, China.

-hanko

akjunkie
08-15-2007, 4:11 PM
been doing research on the tristar..

only thing i can find for country of orginal was from Cabelas. not sure if Fabarms of Italy produces their Entire line of shotguns or just the higher end models.

http://www.cabelas.com/gun-inventory---wheeling---european-sg---541718-tristar12beta.shtml

wilit
08-15-2007, 4:35 PM
Here's the scoop on Tristar.

American Arms declared bankruptcy several years ago to get out from under a class action suit regarding some their Silver series shotguns. Tri-star bought the remaining guns and name but I hope you have better luck getting information from them than I did. Despite several each of letters, e-mails, and phone calls, I never heard a word back from Tri-Star regarding who made my gun. From my own research, the Silver series were made for American Arms by at least three Italian firms and two Spanish firms from the late 1970s to their demise depending on the model and the year of the contract. The fixed choke guns were mostly Spanish and the screw in choke models were mostly Italian from what I've been able to dig up though that is not a fast rule. I did happen to find some of the contact info from the lawsuit and if you are interested, PM me and I'll send you what I have. As I said above, its been several years since I was involved with this and the attorneys may no longer be there or involved but it is a start.

Check out Shotgunworld.com for any shotgun related questions. This site is to Shotguns as Calguns is to OLL's.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=101084&highlight=tristar

heavyrecoil
08-15-2007, 5:16 PM
The Tristar Viper on sale this week at Big 5 is made in Turkey.

Tristar imports guns from all over the place to sell at a particular price point. Their current line-up includes semi autos and over/unders from Turkey and side-by-sides made by Hermanos Zabala in Spain.

I have a Tristar-imported Luciano Rota side-by-side (entry-level Italian gun), that has been a great shooter.

Unfortunately, it appears that many other people haven't had such positive experiences with Tristar products. As one of the other posters suggested, it's definitely worth checking out the "Tristar" threads on Shotgun World for more info.

Flux Capacitor
08-16-2007, 8:55 PM
looks like my Escort model

damon1272
08-17-2007, 6:29 AM
They are not too bad of a shot gun. A buddy of mine bought one. I think that your money will be better spent buying a Remington/Mossberg/Winchester or anything else you can get parts for next year.

akjunkie
08-17-2007, 7:01 AM
actually i was more interested in their line of Over Unders.. if they ever went on sale and if they were made by Fabarms or any other Italian company.

heavyrecoil
08-17-2007, 7:18 AM
Their current crop of over/unders are made in Turkey.

Apparently, at some point, they'll be importing a line of side-by-sides made by Fabarm that will sell in the ~$2000 range along with various semi-auto and o/u models-- but I imagine that these will be priced similarly to the guns that were brought in by HK and Sigarms-- and not so much in the sub-$1000 range like the stuff currently shown on the Tristar web site.

vanhexus
05-17-2009, 9:13 AM
They are not too bad of a shot gun. A buddy of mine bought one. I think that your money will be better spent buying a Remington/Mossberg/Winchester or anything else you can get parts for next year.

I just bought one this month from Sportsmen Supply of Camden Ave,I was so sorry I buy it $ 419 plus DROS.It look like a brand new warranty return put it back in the box for resale.Shell powder in receiver barrel gummed the wood scatch up from not box it correctly.It have a broken bolt at the forearm plate.I take it to Coyote Valley clay shots 2 3/4 sporting shell it won't cycle.The range master (Dave Radu)take it apart and retest it himself.same thing try different shell same.now I so sorry I got it.I bring it back to sportsmenssupply.It now on the gunsmith (Sam)look at it waiting list possible 2 to 4 weeks.SOL

DarkHorse
05-17-2009, 12:54 PM
Haha...looking on the first page of the Tristar link, they hav a model with "Team NWTF" logo on the side of the receiver.

Not a good choice in my book..."Team Now WTF?!?"