Thoughts on the TriStar Viper G2?

[Fat_46]

I thought I'd made my mind up on a new turkey gun - the Benelli SuperNova. However, after handling one it rattles! I handled a few other at the LGS, and the TriStar Viper G2 turkey just felt great.

However...they don't seem very popular, they are extremely low priced for a semi-auto, and are imported. Seems to be 3 strikes right off the bat, but I thought I'd turn to the hallowed halls of THR for opinions from those far more knowledgeable than myself.

Thanks.

 

[MaterDei]

I can't answer your question directly but may be able to provide some help.

I've recently purchased a TriStar C100 which is a handgun. It too was very inexpensive and made in Turkey like the Viper. The Turks make some very nice, economical guns. In fact, Turkish shotguns are sold under the names CZ, Smith and Wesson, and Mossberg.

I've never fired the Viper but others who have say only good things about it. For what it's worth, I disagree with your three strikes.

1. Imported - some of the finest guns, including shotguns, are imported. Nothing wrong with US guns but also nothing wrong with imports either.
2. Low Priced - Unless you are an ardent believer in 'you get what you pay for', why is this a strike? I'm sure that whatever you will pay for the Viper will 'pay for' a lot in Turkey.
3. Not very popular - The Viper is still new on the market but I don't expect this will likely change. Not sure it's a strike though. When I bought my HS2000 for $299 nobody knew what it was and it wasn't popular. When Springfield bought the rights to market it they took the same gun, put their name on it, raised the price considerably and changed the name to XD. Certainly popular now but the same gun, nevertheless. We Americans like our brand names.

 

[Fat_46]

MaterDei - thanks for your insight. As for the "low price" strike I'm slowly realizing, through age, that not all deals actually become deals. My Chinese Poulan chainsaw was replaced 3 times before I finally wizened up and purchased a Stihl. My Chinese Craftsman snowblower lasted 4 years. I just replaced it with an Ariens. I haven't had any bad luck with firearms so far, and want to keep it that way!

 

[BigJimP]

I think its fair to say that all of the guns imported under the TriStar name have had very mixed results..../ now I don't own one...and a lot of the talk I hear is based on what I see at the local shotgun club. Based on what I hear...broken internal parts, pretty bad triggers in them, a couple of stocks cracked - stuff like that, I think you need to be wary of them.

I think you have to ask yourself....if, in the semi-auto world of shotguns ...with the variety of guns made by Beretta and Browning at price points of around $ 750 - $ 4,000....if they could really make a gun - that would run long term and hold up - at $400 or whatever the TriSTar is selling for ...why wouldn't they do it ??
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Same thing on O/U's ...with Browning and Beretta long establishing the market for O/U's and yes today their entry level guns are $ 1,500 or so ...up to $ 7,500 ....but there are a lot of O/U's on the market under $1,000 as well ...with all kinds of issues ...and why is it, that you rarely hear much bad about Beretta or Brownings O/U's...

I think you do get what you pay for when it comes to shotguns.

 

[rule303]

The Turks are making shotguns for some of the biggest, most respected names in the business like; S&W, Weatherby, CZ, plus many smaller companies. Their lower priced O/U's are generally not very good, but the autos have been very well received. The Viper is nearly a carbon copy of the older Beretta 300 series. If the gun fits you well, why not?
If you want a US built auto with a great reputation, and are willing to spend another $150 or so, take a look at the Mossberg 930.

 

[BigJimP]

With all due respect.....S&W, CZ and Weatherby are not big names in shotguns....and not at all respected for their durabiltiy - in terms of their shotguns.

But when it comes to durability ....it depends on whether you're looking for a gun with a 10,000 shell life....a 100,000 shell life....or a 500,000 + shell life....

Personally, I would put S&W, CZ and Weatherby - these days - in their shotguns in the 50,000 - to maybe 100,000 shell life guns is all. But 100,000 shells is only 4,000 boxes...and some shooters put 20 boxes a year thru their shotguns....and some of us put 10 boxes or more a week thru our primary shotguns ...or 12,000 - 15,000 shells a yr.

I want a shotgun that will easily last for that 500,000 shell + life....and that's where both Beretta and Browning O/U's fall these days...and why you get a lot of gun for your money, in my opinion, from either company...but its also why their guns retail in the $ 1,500 - $ 4,000 price range these days.

Is it worth it to buy a Browning or Beretta....or a S&W, or CZ or Weatherby ...you have to decide, primarily based on your usage. But check the used gun stores in your area, that handle some target shotguns....and see what the used S&W, CZ's, or Weatherby's are selling for used....vs used Beretta or Browning O/U's.....in my area, its a big difference....and that should tell you something about durability.

 

[jcollins1007]

I know this post is a month old now, but as a Benelli Supernova owner I can tell you that the rattle is simply managed by tightening up the hex screws on the forearm a bit (but not too much). The Supernova is a great pump shotgun, and I don't know if there is a better one, IMHO.

"I think you have to ask yourself....if, in the semi-auto world of shotguns ...with the variety of guns made by Beretta and Browning at price points of around $ 750 - $ 4,000....if they could really make a gun - that would run long term and hold up - at $400 or whatever the TriSTar is selling for ...why wouldn't they do it ??"

The obvious answer here is that unlike Marx's labor theory of value which looks only at the labor and materials, the true function of price is simply supply and demand. Look at AR's right now; bone-stock DPMS rifles are going for $1600 because the demand has been made artificially high by the threat of government action, when six months ago they couldn't fetch $700 on the market. The Tristar is no different, since you do not have to pay $200 for someone to engrave "Remington" on the side.

 

[EBK]

Only reason I sold mine is because the mag tube extended to the end of the muzzle but you could only stuff 5 shells in it.

So basicly the mag tube was a lie and it induced fits of anger due to the BS involved in making it accept the amount of shells it should hold such as the BS 922R crap.


No other complaints.