16ga.com ~ View topic

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2012 Posts: 1113

I had that safety hanging up issue with a 20 ga CZ Ringneck that started me on this SXS quest. The Ringneck had a V gate that the safety had to slide either left or right to allow it to go forward. When I studied it a bit, I determined the problem was a square safety blade about 1/16" wide that would get hung up on the V gate and not go forward. I pulled the safety out and filed the safety blade to a sharp point on the forward edge, and no more hanging up safety problems.

Most of my selective trigger SXS's have the Berretta style selector that sits in the middle of the safety lever and slides left or right to select the barrel to fire first. Those safeties have never given me any problems (so far).

Joined: 12 Aug 2020 Posts: 6 Location: Mississippi

downsouth,

Thanks much for you honest opinion, being that you would not purchase the gun at the going price of $1,100. I will probably pass on the gun. I seem not to be able to purchase the gun at the $595.00 any where right now. At exactly which Cabalas did you purchase the gun? As much as I hate dealing with Cabelas, the 16 gauge gun at the price you purchased yours, might be worth looking into.

Thanks much for you opinion I appreciate it very much.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Joined: 26 Jun 2020 Posts: 140 Location: Spokane, WA

Cabelas has a military discount, includes active, retired, etc.

Silver Bowl,

Yes sir I know about the Military discount from dealing with Cabelas in the past, not sure they are still honoring it, now that Bass Pro owns the company.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Joined: 12 Aug 2020 Posts: 6 Location: Mississippi

downsouth,
Maybe they have a 16 gauge Demo also, I will give them a call if I can find their number.

thanks again.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

downsouth,

I checked with Bass Pro in Katy Texas, all their Silver guns are now sold,
none left in inventory.

thanks for the contact point.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Joined: 12 Aug 2020 Posts: 6 Location: Mississippi

down south,

The man in the guns shop told me they still have the case colored guns, he also told me the Silvers went very quickly. The case colored guns I am not interested at all, IMO they are ugly as sin.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2012 Posts: 1113

I found a TriStar Bristol Silver 16 ga new in the box on Gunbroker for $833 Buy Now price and succumbed to the temptation. I decided to pay by certified check rather than credit card so I don't have to explain to the dear wife why I needed another 16 ga SXS, so I expect the gun to take at least a week and a half to arrive. I'll likely have to put it on my stock bending jig for more cast off, before I can shoot it much, but maybe I can get it out on some birds before the preserve season ends the last of March. I'll be sure to post my evaluation of the gun on here when I get it and can get a real weight on the gun and measure the bores and chokes to see how they did. The workmanship appears to be fairly decent looking at pictures of the gun, but don't they all?

Riflemeister,

Good job finding the Bristol Silver 16 gauge gun, however the $833 is way above what downhome payed for his silver gun. Still its better than the $1,100 price I have been seeing the guns sold for. Nice pick up!

Looking forward to your appraisal of the gun!

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Member Joined: 27 Jun 2012 Posts: 1113

Just got the TriStar Bristol Silver 16 ga today and took a little time to check it over. First I put it on a very accurate scale to see how it came out against TriStar's claim of 6 1/2 pounds. This was a complete fail, with the actual weight of 7 pounds 3 ounces which puts in the same class as my CZ Ringnecks. I next used my bore gauge to determine the right bore is .659" and the left bore .660". The standard for a 16 ga bore is .667". It is the tightest 16 ga bores I've ever measured. The tight bores make the supplied chokes one step off, with the Skeet/Cyl tube actually .003" over the bore diameter. Triggers were crisp on the non-selective trigger, both barrels breaking at 4 1/2 pounds. Switching the barrel selector to fire the left barrel first did not change the pull weights. The forend is sort of a rectangle with rounded corners in shape and not very attractive to me.

I pulled the stock off to look at the innards and it is not a traditional Anson and Deeley box lock, but closely resembles my Zabala made TriStar Brittany with strut mounted coil springs powering the hammers. The barrel selector has a blade that extends down and shifting it left or right moves a block that will determine which barrel fires first and second. Working it back and forth it appears to be a reliable mechanism. The ejectors are well timed, but a little underpowered and if shooting reloads where the plastic hull has expanded a bit, they may not completely clear the chamber.

Overall my impression is the this is a mechanically sound design that is a bit overweight and clunky feeling. It might be a good gun to press into service as a dog training gun. I doubt that I will actually hunt birds with this gun except possibly as a rainy day gun.

Joined: 09 Mar 2016 Posts: 753 Location: Mn.

Thank you Riflemeister for the review and update. I have a 16 ga. Tristar G2 SA that I do like but that is a different beast. And weighs 6.5 pounds. Have the 16 ga. CZ Sharptail and same as the Bristol weighs close to 7.5 pounds and knew it but thought it might make a good clays gun. I'm guessing they are both on a 12 ga. frame or at least the bbl starts as a 12. But besides the chokes being way off you described it perfectly in your review of the Bristol- overweight and clunky feeling.

But really wanted to thank you for the clarification of 16 ga. choke standard. I've searched for 2 hours tonight starting on here in the sticky it runs all over the place. Then found Europe CIP standard is 16.8 - 17.2 mm (0.661-0.677), with 17.00mm (.669)being the most common bore size in modern guns. Trulock which kind of started my search says the 16 Franchi is .665 they are the same chokes as the F.A.I.R. or supposed to be.

Finally broke out the bore gauge with .68 anvil and measured one of my Iside's and B. Rizzini Comp 16. All 4 barrels are dead nuts .667. When you said:

The standard for a 16 ga bore is .667"

you are the only one that has said that anywhere I have searched. That is good enough for me coming from you and now I can go to bed Laughing

Member Joined: 09 Jan 2013 Posts: 2168 Location: Florida

Wikipedia is close at .663

I've always considered standard 16ga bore to be .666 to .667

A lot of early English guns are around .670

And most of the Belgium made SXS and A5s I've measured are .059 to .060