{"id":18712,"date":"2014-04-17T18:06:58","date_gmt":"2014-04-17T22:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/blog\/?p=18712"},"modified":"2014-04-17T18:06:58","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T12:30:14","slug":"affordable-gobbler-guns-and-gear-tristars-raptor-atac-new-shotgun-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/affordable-gobbler-guns-and-gear-tristars-raptor-atac-new-shotgun-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Affordable Gobbler Guns and Gear: Tristar’s Raptor ATAC\u2014New Shotgun Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"TriStar\u2019s<\/a>

TriStar\u2019s new turkey gun is a pleasure to shoot.<\/p><\/div>\n

By Wayne Lincourt<\/p>\n

TriStar Sporting Arms
\nhttps:\/\/tristararms.com\/raptor-atac-turkey.php<\/a><\/p>\n

TruGlo
\nTruGlo Triton Gobble-Stopper Tri-Color 30mm Sights<\/a><\/p>\n

Robinson Outdoor Products
\nhttps:\/\/www.robinsonoutdoors.com\/whitewater\/thunder-chicken-turkey-vest.php<\/a><\/p>\n

We are so lucky to live in this time when precision machinery and quality materials allow for the production of affordable guns that give up little to their higher-priced brethren. Imported by TriStar Arms from Turkey, the new ATAC Raptor Turkey gun is a great example. As an extension of the company\u2019s low-priced Raptor series, it delivers solid performance and dependability on a proven action.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The gas piston drives the action arms back to eject the spent round and cock the hammer. The recoil spring drives the action arms forward to chamber the next round and lock the bolt in battery.<\/p><\/div>\n

The gun has a 24\u201d barrel and is a gas-operated semi-automatic. When a round is fired, gas is bled through the part of the barrel that slides over the magazine tube during assembly. Between the barrel and magazine tube, a gas piston encircling the magazine tube reacts to the gas pressure to open the bolt via a side-by-side locking bar. It\u2019s basically the same setup as a pump gun with the exception that the gas piston and return spring do the pumping for you. Check out the photos and you\u2019ll see what I mean. It\u2019s not only a simple and reliable action, but it helps absorb recoil, making it softer shooting and more controllable.<\/p>\n

While the action is the heart and soul of any shotgun, the surprising extras are a real plus at this price point. Included as standard is a chrome-lined chamber and barrel, picatinny rail with ghost ring rear site, bridge-front fiber optic site, pistol-grip stock, and extended turkey choke tube. The choke tubes, by-the-way, are interchangeable with Beretta\/Benelli tubes. If you already have some on hand, you can use the tubes you have. If not, they\u2019re readily available to configure your gun for waterfowl, upland game birds, slugs, or home defense. I was a little surprised that there was no choke tube wrench included, but you can substitute anything that\u2019s sturdy and flat enough to fit into the notches on the choke tube.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The TriStar Raptor ATAC Turkey gun comes with a Beretta\/Benelli-style extended full choke tube.<\/p><\/div>\n

The molded stock and forend in Mossy Oak camo contributes to making this a light gun. It tipped my scale at a svelte 7 lbs. 1.4 oz. The pistol grip is overmolded black rubber with finger grooves. It affords plenty of cushioning and a positive grip, even when wet. I have relatively small hands, yet in the shooting position I could easily reach the safety at the front of the trigger guard with my trigger finger. Ergonomics are good, with a 14 \u00bc\u201d length of pull and balance point towards the front of the loading gate, midway between your hands when shooting. This is a fast-handling gun.<\/p>\n

The Raptor comes with a five-round magazine tube and a plug for waterfowl, which easily comes out when you don\u2019t need it. Sling studs are standard, mounted on the stock and forend cap. Just clip on your sling and go. The trigger has a little take-up then breaks consistently at an average 5 lbs., 11.5 oz<\/p>\n

The metal parts were finished in flat black, including the bolt. Fit and finish of the furniture was good except just behind the trigger guard, where the stock extension for the pistol grip had a gap. It didn\u2019t affect the function in any way, just seemed out of place considering the level of fit of the rest of the stock\/forend.<\/p>\n

The butt pad is a bit unusual, with a V cut out of the stock into which it mates. It worked in absorbing the recoil from the 3\u201d 12 gauge shells though so, unusual or not, it\u2019s an effective design. TriStar recommends using 3\u201d shells, by the way, for break-in. I followed up with some Remington 2 \u00be\u201d 7 \u00bd shot sporting loads, and they cycled the action with no malfunctions of any kind.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The butt pad is a little unusual but works great.<\/p><\/div>\n

My thanks, by-the-way, to Mike Lewellen at Lone Star Sporting Clays, Glen Rose, TX, for the use of his patterning board. Located in the Texas Hill Country southwest of Fort Worth, Lone Star is a beautiful place to shoot.<\/p>\n

The TriStar ATAC Turkey Shotgun has an MSRP of $498. Other TriStar ATAC guns are selling for around $400. This will probably have a slightly higher street price due to the licensing fee for the camo on the stock and forend. And they\u2019re backed by TriStar\u2019s full five-year warranty.<\/p>\n

Overall, the TriStar Arms Raptor ATAC Turkey gun is lightweight for easy carrying, accurate for taking the head off that big ol\u2019 tom you called in, and versatile. If you\u2019re thinking about a low-priced new turkey gun, or all-around shotgun, in my estimation the ATAC will get the job done for you without hitting you too hard in the pocketbook. It\u2019s a great value.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The TruGlo Triton Gobble Stopper is a great match to the Raptor.<\/p><\/div>\n

TruGlo Triton Gobble-Stopper\u00a0Tri-Color 30mm\u00a0 Sights<\/b><\/p>\n

The ghost ring and front fiber optic sights that come mounted on the ATAC Raptor Turkey gun are more than adequate. But for faster pointability, especially under the low light conditions you frequently encounter in early morning hunts, I chose a 30mm TruGlo Gobble-Stopper Triton Tri-Color, which mounted easily to the Raptor\u2019s picatinny rail. For a capable reflex sight at a reasonable price, the 30mm TruGlo\u00a0 Gobble-Stopper is well worth your consideration. You get an illuminated reticle like all red dots, but you get some great options as well.<\/p>\n

This sight allows you to select the color that works best for you \u2013 red, green, or blue. There\u2019s been a lot of talk about whether red is the best all-around color for a reflex sight, or if green might be better. Green is actually easier for the human eye to see. But what about when you\u2019re hunting in a very green area like in the northeast or northwest? Then maybe a red dot is better. With the Gobble Stopper, it doesn\u2019t matter. You have your choice of using a red dot, green dot or blue dot. You select the color that works best for you in your given situation. There are three intensity settings for each color.<\/p>\n\n\t\t