Tristar 333 o/u

gizmo688 · February 1, 2013, 03:27 PM

What is the general consensus on the this gun? I found one today and it felt good, but i have no idea on the quality. Google hasn't been much help for reviews.

BigJimP · February 1, 2013, 06:25 PM

Tristar's .....mixed to poor reviews for the most part....

Their guns are on the "cheap end" ...and not considered durable ...or much of a value long term...and will not retain much, if any, resale value - based on the models I see at my gun club.

Chances you might get a gun with no issues / parts problems / barrels not regulated to hit the same point of impact .....2 or 3 out of 10 guns might be ok....but its hard to tell.
-------------
Beretta and Browning have long set the bar on affordable O/U's in my opinion ...and you're way better off to find a good used Beretta or Browning..and yes, I know they cost more ....but they retain their used value for a reason. A Browning Citori Lightning O/U with 28" barrels in 1988 sold new for about $ 750. List price today is $ 1,989 ...

http://www.browning.com/products/cat...id=013&tid=461

but they sell new in my area for around $ 1,650 .....and used, a gun made in 1988 ( that cost $750 ) that now has 250,000 shells thru it - but has been reasonably well taken care of ( minor scratches on it ) ....on the used market is about $ 1,000 - $ 1,200. Citori Lightning is not a high end gun ...its a good solid Field Grade gun .../ Brownings higher end target grade guns like the Citori XS Skeet sell new for around $3,000 now....( not expensive guns either / just good long term guns ).
--------------
So, where does the TriStar fit into that history ....??? I don't know ....

Maybe it'll be ok for you for ....5 or 6 yrs ...at 40 boxes a year ( 1,000 shells a year ) ...maybe it'll be ok for 20 yrs....you sure can't tell by looking at it ....the trick is ( what is the quality of the barrel to receiver connection, the quality of the steel in the barrels, quality of springs and firing pins...all the internal stuff....) ....can you get parts, where do you send the gun for service, can a local gunsmith get parts --- all that stuff makes a difference.

gizmo688 · February 1, 2013, 07:07 PM

Just what i was looking for. Thanks. I handled a hardly used Browning Gold Hunter later at a different shop, but they wouldn't go below $725. I'm thinking i may search for that instead.

Just sold my Mossberg 930 synthetic for $700, so I'm looking hard for a replacement!

BigJimP · February 2, 2013, 06:46 PM

Browing only makes the Gold semi-autos in 10ga now ...they quit making them in a 12ga about 3 or 4 yrs ago, so I see quite a few of them around as well.

Look at the Browning Silver series - they have a Hunter model - thats a good solid gun as well ....

But you're jumping between semi-autos and O/U's ...so I'm not sure where you're going on this stuff...
------------
Maybe it comes down to what you want the gun for ...

gizmo688 · February 2, 2013, 07:39 PM

Shopping for another auto. The o/u just caught my eye. As did a 1903a3. And an all matching Mosin. You know how it is. The Tristar question was just curiosity due to a lack of information available.

BigJimP · February 3, 2013, 01:25 PM

I know how it is ....

( I have about 11 Browning O/U's now...and they're my primary guns for Sporting clays, Trap, Skeet and Upland Birds ) .....
a. 3 Citori Lightning models in 12ga and 20ga
b. 5 Citroi XS Skeet models - 30" - in 12ga, 20ga, 28ga, .410
c. 2 Citori XT models 32" 12ga for Trap
d. a BT-100 single barrel Trap gun..

( stuff just keeps following me home ...) ....and rifles, and handguns...

February 1, 2013, 03:27 PM	#1
gizmo688 Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2011 Posts: 116	Tristar 333 o/u What is the general consensus on the this gun? I found one today and it felt good, but i have no idea on the quality. Google hasn't been much help for reviews.

February 1, 2013, 06:25 PM	#2
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Tristar's .....mixed to poor reviews for the most part.... Their guns are on the "cheap end" ...and not considered durable ...or much of a value long term...and will not retain much, if any, resale value - based on the models I see at my gun club. Chances you might get a gun with no issues / parts problems / barrels not regulated to hit the same point of impact .....2 or 3 out of 10 guns might be ok....but its hard to tell. ------------- Beretta and Browning have long set the bar on affordable O/U's in my opinion ...and you're way better off to find a good used Beretta or Browning..and yes, I know they cost more ....but they retain their used value for a reason. A Browning Citori Lightning O/U with 28" barrels in 1988 sold new for about $ 750. List price today is $ 1,989 ... http://www.browning.com/products/cat...id=013&tid=461 but they sell new in my area for around $ 1,650 .....and used, a gun made in 1988 ( that cost $750 ) that now has 250,000 shells thru it - but has been reasonably well taken care of ( minor scratches on it ) ....on the used market is about $ 1,000 - $ 1,200. Citori Lightning is not a high end gun ...its a good solid Field Grade gun .../ Brownings higher end target grade guns like the Citori XS Skeet sell new for around $3,000 now....( not expensive guns either / just good long term guns ). -------------- So, where does the TriStar fit into that history ....??? I don't know .... Maybe it'll be ok for you for ....5 or 6 yrs ...at 40 boxes a year ( 1,000 shells a year ) ...maybe it'll be ok for 20 yrs....you sure can't tell by looking at it ....the trick is ( what is the quality of the barrel to receiver connection, the quality of the steel in the barrels, quality of springs and firing pins...all the internal stuff....) ....can you get parts, where do you send the gun for service, can a local gunsmith get parts --- all that stuff makes a difference.

February 1, 2013, 07:07 PM	#3
gizmo688 Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2011 Posts: 116	Just what i was looking for. Thanks. I handled a hardly used Browning Gold Hunter later at a different shop, but they wouldn't go below $725. I'm thinking i may search for that instead. Just sold my Mossberg 930 synthetic for $700, so I'm looking hard for a replacement!

February 2, 2013, 06:46 PM	#4
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Browing only makes the Gold semi-autos in 10ga now ...they quit making them in a 12ga about 3 or 4 yrs ago, so I see quite a few of them around as well. Look at the Browning Silver series - they have a Hunter model - thats a good solid gun as well .... But you're jumping between semi-autos and O/U's ...so I'm not sure where you're going on this stuff... ------------ Maybe it comes down to what you want the gun for ...

February 2, 2013, 07:39 PM	#5
gizmo688 Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2011 Posts: 116	Shopping for another auto. The o/u just caught my eye. As did a 1903a3. And an all matching Mosin. You know how it is. The Tristar question was just curiosity due to a lack of information available.

February 3, 2013, 01:25 PM	#6
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I know how it is .... ( I have about 11 Browning O/U's now...and they're my primary guns for Sporting clays, Trap, Skeet and Upland Birds ) ..... a. 3 Citori Lightning models in 12ga and 20ga b. 5 Citroi XS Skeet models - 30" - in 12ga, 20ga, 28ga, .410 c. 2 Citori XT models 32" 12ga for Trap d. a BT-100 single barrel Trap gun.. ( stuff just keeps following me home ...) ....and rifles, and handguns...