The early season may be over, but as most waterfowlers know, the best is yet to come. The month of January is prime for duck hunting, and with that in mind, we want to showcase a new shotgun from TriStar Arms that has proven to be a reliable workhorse in the duck blind: the semi-auto, gas-operated Raptor II, featuring enhanced furniture, modern finishes, and a dollar-to-gun ratio that is off the charts.
Tristar offers the Raptor II in either 12 or 20-gauge chamberings, with black synthetic, walnut or Mossy Oak Country Roots furniture. The standard barrel length is 28 inches, but a compact 20-gauge offering is also available with a 26-inch barrel. The barrels are all chrome-lined. It’s got a vent rib, no mid-bead, and a green fiber-optic front sight that shows bright in the sun or shade.
Sporting a 3-inch chamber, the Raptor II is furnished with a wide release paddle and a magazine cut-off switch, which allows you to cycle out the chamber and swap it for something else, something like a goose load, perhaps? We ran the Raptor II with a variety of loads from 2 ¾-inch clay loads to some hard hitting 3-inch No.2 steel loads, and even some 3-inch TSS loads. After a short break-in period, which TriStar makes clear is required, this gun ran through everything without a hiccup. So we’ve no doubt it’ll burn through a box of duck or goose loads without any issues, and be ready for spring turkey if you choose to give it a double-duty workload.
The Raptor II’s magazine tube holds five rounds, and a plug is included for hunting. A choke tube set is also included, complete with an improved cylinder choke, modified and full. If you chose to fit it with aftermarket chokes, the barrel accepts the Benelli Mobile-style chokes.
As for the stock, it’s full synthetic furniture is aided by the inclusion of black textured grip panels on the fore-end and grip, and the addition of a soft rubber cheek pad. The textured grip and fore-end were aggressive enough to promote a secure purchase without being so coarse they irritate your hands in the long haul, and they will surely be appreciated when the rain or snow starts to fall. The rubber cheek pad, well, while you may not notice it in the moment, with enough ducks in the air to shoot at, your cheek can take a beating over the course of a hunt, and that cheek pad provides just enough cushion to make those hard-hitting waterfowl loads feel a bit less punchy.
Overall, the Tristar Raptor II is an extraordinarily cozy gun to work with. And with a MSRP of only $639, it represents an amazing value for the hunter.
Learn more about the TriStar Raptor II shotgun by visiting TriStarArms.com. And of course, to help keep content like this coming and the woods open for hunting, head on over to Americanhunter.org and click the join button in the upper lefthand corner. Well see you there.
