It just so happened that Turkish hunting rifles often fall under the hot hand of Russian hunters. Reviews about them can be both enthusiastic and very skeptical. And often the products of the Turkish arms industry are scolded for their inability to do anything up to the level of civilized countries. But in vain, since every 4-5th tank of the NATO bloc is armed with the Turkish Hatsan machine gun (moreover, this concern produces not only machine guns, but also torpedo tubes, rapid-fire guns, etc.), and many companies produce equipment under European licenses. So it's not entirely reasonable to criticize Turkish 12 gauge rifles based on stereotypes and prejudices.
Gun Features
Turkey does not have its own weapons school, so most of the goods are produced according to Italian technologies, using appropriate materials and quality standards. Of course, there are also their own developments, but not all of them use successful technical solutions, andsome should be scrapped immediately after assembly. Why? There are about 300 rifle companies in Turkey (almost every city has a cooperative), and some of them are made “on the knee”, from materials that happened to be at hand.
Naturally, there is no need to talk about any quality and reliability in this case. Therefore, it is better to choose Turkish shotguns from "Europeanized" brands, such as Stoeger. Another criterion may be the presence of the company's website. If not, then most likely the product was assembled at home and using the technologies of the 19th century.
Domestic or imported?
The question arises: why buy a pig in a poke, if you can take time-tested domestic counterparts, and not Turkish semi-automatic rifles? If we talk from the position of "price-quality" and do not touch upon the technical features, then the "Turks" can act as a replacement for expensive Italian weapons, since on average they are cheaper by $ 400-500, and without a noticeable drop in quality (Italian license + guarantee for some types guns from the "pasta" concerns have their life-giving influence). In addition, Stoegers and Armsans do not suffer so much from the main drawback of the domestic arms industry - the heavy weight of semi-automatic rifles. Turkish semi-automatic shotguns are about 300-400 grams lighter, which is more than noticeable during running hunting.
In addition, unlike domestic counterparts, Turkish models do not contain traces of fitting, fitting, etc., whichallows them to confidently maintain technological superiority.
Semiautomatic mechanics
While Russian products use only gas-operated automatics, Turkish 12-gauge shotguns are semi-automatic, based on the recoil of the weapon and the rollback of the bolt by a buffer spring. Such a scheme copes worse with recoil, but it is much simpler and not so picky about the types of gunpowder. And, as you know, the simpler the unit, the more difficult it is to break it. Ammunition will not be a problem either, as standard Russian cartridges for Turkish weapons are suitable (although there are rumors of craftsmen loading and homemade ammunition, which, of course, is calibrated, but this is a risk and should be taken consciously).
Total, it turns out a kind of imported "economy class" for those who do not have enough money for an American or Italian manufacturer, and the domestic one is already rather fed up.
Let's take a look at the most famous (and available in the vastness of Russia) Turkish shotguns.
Stoeger 2000
This model was released in 2001 by Stoeger SanayA. S., owned by the very famous Beretta concern. The Stoeger 2000 was positioned as an inexpensive self-loading shotgun for any purpose (from army modifications to, in fact, hunting).
As mentioned above, the quality of the finish of the "Turk" is inferior to Italian products, but the working part of the gun (the parts for which are made in Italy) does not cause the slightest criticism.
Structurally, Stoeger is a clone of Benelli M1Super 90, which means it adopts its inertial automatics, spring mechanism, etc.
Another feature of this gun is that, like many Turkish five-shot 12-gauge guns, it holds only 4 rounds in the underbarrel magazine, and the fifth one is loaded directly into the chamber, so sometimes they write in the magazine capacity: 4 + 1.
This model is only produced in 12 gauge, with barrels of various lengths - from 47 to 76 cm. You will most likely meet her in the store.
Escort PS
Earlier it was said that there are Turkish 12-gauge semi-automatic shotguns, which are not copies of famous Italian models, but Turkish gunsmiths' own developments. One of the successful examples of such "initiative" is the Escort brand produced by Hatsan.
Escort is available in several variants: Escort PS, Escort AS, Escort Shadow Grass, etc. Some of them are made in Camo style. We will consider Escort PS as the most common and affordable.
For reloading, gas-operated automatics are used, but with the Smart Valve Position system (allows the use of ammunition from sports to "super-magnum").
The gun is made chambered for 12-gauge or 20-gauge (in this case it will be marked PS 20), with different barrel lengths - from 66 to 76 cm. Regardlessregardless of caliber, the fore-end and stock of this model are made of impact-resistant polyamide fiber. Escort, like the classic Turkish five-shot gun (for example, the Stoeger 2000 described above), in the basic configuration, holds 4 rounds in the underbarrel magazine, plus one in the chamber. However, this capacity can be either increased to 7 + 1 or reduced to 2 + 1 with purchased accessories. And to simplify loading, the Escort uses a quick reload system that allows you to automatically send cartridges to the chamber from the magazine.
Bronko Hades
Bronko, produced at the Ottomangus factory, as well as almost any Turkish five-shot gun, was copied from the Italian model, namely the Benelli Montefeltro.
The mass of the gun, as is the case with most "Turks", is small - 3.15 kg in an unloaded state, with a barrel length of 76 cm, which makes it an ideal choice for running hunts. The capacity of the underbarrel magazine for cartridges with a sleeve length of 76 mm is 4 rounds, for 70 mm ammunition - 5.
The Bronco barrel has a ventilated bar with an anti-reflective pattern over the entire surface. Thanks to her, aiming is much more convenient and easier, since there will be no glare and haze from the barrel.
The execution of the gun is possible either with a wooden butt and forearm (material - Turkish walnut), or with plastic. As a result, the owner of the Bronco receives a high-quality and reliable gun, with a time-tested design, without unnecessary frills, which is what distinguishes Turkish 12-gauge guns (semi-automatic).
In any case, despite the simplicity and some external "clumsiness", you can be sure that the manufacturer did not save on a single detail that directly affects the accuracy and reliability of the weapon.
Companion E
Many of the Turkish five-shot 12-gauge shotguns we reviewed are copies of famous Italian ones. So is the Companion E - the Turkish analogue of the Beretta A301.
Reloading is carried out using a vapor mechanism, available for 12-gauge or 20-gauge. Barrel length - 76 cm, and it can be increased with a barrel extension. The declared weight of the unloaded gun is 3 kg, which is quite a bit (and 20 kg is a toy in general). As befits any Turkish "clone", the steel is purchased in Europe and processed on computerized machines, which guarantees the reliability of the weapon and its high quality. However, it also has its drawbacks - the inner surfaces of wood and metal are processed much worse than that of the "European", but at an acceptable level. A plastic trigger may fall apart when fired, but such cases (as well as undershot or a wedge) are very rare.
Turkish shotguns 12 gauge shotguns
Last in this impromptu "gun show" will be a double-barreled shotgun from Huglu: Huglu 103B BL 12 gauge, a smooth-bore vertical shotgun from Turkey. The length of the gun barrel is 76 cm. The vertical barrel significantly increases visibility, and the selector for switching barrels makes the shooting process much more convenient. It should also be noted thatexcellent balance, which distinguishes Turkish 12 gauge shotguns. Turkish-made double-barreled shotguns, including Huglu, are equipped with a wooden butt made of Turkish walnut. The gun requires a lot of attention, it should be constantly cleaned and lubricated to avoid jamming mechanisms and other troubles. Yes, and for order and self-organization is useful.
Due to its weight, this barrel can be used for long distance hunting. It is mainly used for shooting birds, but this gun can also be used to hunt a hare or any other small animals.
Instead of afterword
Turkish 12-caliber rifles (semi-automatic or not), according to gun enthusiasts, are increasingly gaining their niche in the Russian arms market. Starting with completely unreliable "shooting sticks", the Turks, with the help of European technology, were able to create an affordable and reliable smooth-bore semi-automatic. Although the Turks do not have their own weapons school, and their clone products are not as elegant and polished as European ones, they do not lag behind in the quality of assembly and manufacture of fundamental parts. Therefore, Turkish-made guns and even the own developments of enterprising Turks deserve close attention of post-Soviet hunters.
