I wrote and posted this on another forum but figured I'd post it here too since there doesn't seem to be a large amount of info on these online yet. Anyways here it is:
Not so long ago I walked into my local Academy Sports store hoping that they had one of the guns that had recently piqued my interest in stock. That gun was the Tristar L120 9mm. A relatively new pistol to the American market, this CZ75B clone is made in Turkey to military specs, according to Tristar anyhow, the company that is importing them. This company also claims that they're built to NATO specs, meaning that the frame must endure a 50,000 round endurance test and that all parts must be either chrome lined or chrome plated. I have no idea if any of this is true but getting this response from their customer service department when I asked about the longevity of the L120 was surprisingly comforting. The gun definitely feels well made.
There are several things that will make this pistol attractive to the average shooter. First of which is the price. At $350 these things are well below the cost of the CZ75B and that alone is a good reason to consider them. Then there is the fact that you get two 17 round Mec Gar magazines and magazine speed loader, all of which come in an inexpensive but not terrible foam lined plastic case with sliding locks in front.
What is in the box?
When you open the box you'll find the pistol itself, an extra magazine, a speed loader, a manual with complete specs/instructions, and a polymer bristled bore brush. Small pleasures of course but on a pistol in this price range it is a decent package.
Fit/Finish:
The fit and finish on the Tristar pistols are actually very good, better in fact on the inside than my CZ75B. The flat black color is non reflective. The front of the grip is serrated slightly, I'm assuming to help you keep ahold of it during firing. The top of the slide is also serrated so that it doesn't blind you if you're shooting outdoors. Sights are your standard three dot system and are easy to acquire like most military sidearms.
Reliability:
I've only put about 200 rounds through this pistol so far but it has functioned flawlessly thus far. The internals still look brand new as if the gun had never been fired. The fact that the Canik pistols being imported by Tristar are reliable is not a big secret, there have been quite a few positive reviews online and that is part of what steered me to this gun. The other thing was that I also bought the Tristar C100 a short time ago and have now put over 1,000 rounds through it without a single issue.
Specs:
The frame is constructed of a very light aluminum alloy and the slide is steel. The barrel is 4.7" and the action is your standard DA/SA with the ability to set the hammer to half cock. Unlike the actual CZ75B, the safety can be set to "safe" when the hammer is down, at half cock, and when the hammer is all the way back. The magazine capacity is 17 rounds and a spare magazine is included in the package. CZ75B magazines WILL fit and function in the L120 and vice versa. The SA trigger is light and IMO better than the stock CZ75B trigger. The DA trigger leave something to be desired and is long/heavy like your average CZ75B.
Overall I think these are a great buy and are well worth considering if you are searching for a light, full size DA/SA pistol with a nice capacity and good accuracy.
Not so long ago I walked into my local Academy Sports store hoping that they had one of the guns that had recently piqued my interest in stock. That gun was the Tristar L120 9mm. A relatively new pistol to the American market, this CZ75B clone is made in Turkey to military specs, according to Tristar anyhow, the company that is importing them. This company also claims that they're built to NATO specs, meaning that the frame must endure a 50,000 round endurance test and that all parts must be either chrome lined or chrome plated. I have no idea if any of this is true but getting this response from their customer service department when I asked about the longevity of the L120 was surprisingly comforting. The gun definitely feels well made.
There are several things that will make this pistol attractive to the average shooter. First of which is the price. At $350 these things are well below the cost of the CZ75B and that alone is a good reason to consider them. Then there is the fact that you get two 17 round Mec Gar magazines and magazine speed loader, all of which come in an inexpensive but not terrible foam lined plastic case with sliding locks in front.
What is in the box?
When you open the box you'll find the pistol itself, an extra magazine, a speed loader, a manual with complete specs/instructions, and a polymer bristled bore brush. Small pleasures of course but on a pistol in this price range it is a decent package.
Fit/Finish:
The fit and finish on the Tristar pistols are actually very good, better in fact on the inside than my CZ75B. The flat black color is non reflective. The front of the grip is serrated slightly, I'm assuming to help you keep ahold of it during firing. The top of the slide is also serrated so that it doesn't blind you if you're shooting outdoors. Sights are your standard three dot system and are easy to acquire like most military sidearms.
Reliability:
I've only put about 200 rounds through this pistol so far but it has functioned flawlessly thus far. The internals still look brand new as if the gun had never been fired. The fact that the Canik pistols being imported by Tristar are reliable is not a big secret, there have been quite a few positive reviews online and that is part of what steered me to this gun. The other thing was that I also bought the Tristar C100 a short time ago and have now put over 1,000 rounds through it without a single issue.
Specs:
The frame is constructed of a very light aluminum alloy and the slide is steel. The barrel is 4.7" and the action is your standard DA/SA with the ability to set the hammer to half cock. Unlike the actual CZ75B, the safety can be set to "safe" when the hammer is down, at half cock, and when the hammer is all the way back. The magazine capacity is 17 rounds and a spare magazine is included in the package. CZ75B magazines WILL fit and function in the L120 and vice versa. The SA trigger is light and IMO better than the stock CZ75B trigger. The DA trigger leave something to be desired and is long/heavy like your average CZ75B.
Overall I think these are a great buy and are well worth considering if you are searching for a light, full size DA/SA pistol with a nice capacity and good accuracy.
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