Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns CZ vs Tristar

Anyone compared? Read the Turk steel/metallurgy may be inferior to the CZ. Anyone know the facts on this topic?

Do a little research..the CZ shotguns ARE made in Turkey as well...and Tristar is an American owned company founded by Reinhart Fajen's daughter in law Marty Fajen.
Tristars metalurgy will be as good as CZs turk guns, IMHO.

IIRC, S&W branded a line of Turkish shotguns.

From what I've heard, the Turkish gun trade was largely a cottage industry, not too unlike Eibar, Spain in years past.

Seems once the big importers got involved, they tightened up QC with universal parts, not each gun hand fit by an individual craftsman. You need universal parts for efficient stateside maintenance and repair.

I think Turkish shotguns are a lot of gun for the buck, many with very nice workmanship and wood; I don't have any.

DF

I'd say someone is making un-founded mental leaps. HOw long did we hear about "soft" Spanish pistols only to find out they were just as hard as a Colt; or harder?

Canik knows how to make guns. No, they're not one of the big names, but they do make a LOT of guns, and every Canik CZ knock off I've seen has been made rather well.

The FACT is, no one but Canik knows how good they are metalurgically. The way us shooters find out is, we buy one and put an obscene number of rounds through it and see how it holds up.

The metalurgy of a CZ75 really isn't rocket science. The slide has to be a high carbon steel, so Canik wouldn't be able to cut corners in the manufacture of the slide, because they still have to buy a high grade steel for the slide (4140,4150). And those steels are really not all that expensive. Next comes the heat treating, and it's cheaper and easier to do full heat treating; so it makes no sense they would skimp there either.

Canik's pistols are cheaper not because they skimp on materials, it's because labor in Turkey is so cheap.

Canik's aren't as pretty as CZ's (but they're getting there), and they're not as proven as CZ's because CZ has been making CZ75's for service all over the world for over 30 years now. But the Canik's are very good pistols.

Good info, thanks. Handled a CZ Compact today, not the PCR, seemed well made though my trigger finger had to reach for the DA mode. Smooth action and trigger, the guns was used. As I read one report, due to the design, there is less to grab on the slide to rack it.

Heard solid reports on reliability and accuracy.

Well, I own a lovely O/U Turk Shotgun and it's equal in every regard to the Beretta 686 I "used" to own. Every regard!

I own a Turk CZ copy that now has about 500 rounds through it and I can't see a bit of wear on the rails. No signs of any problems with the locking lugs. Can't say it will live 10,000 rounds...but neither will I.

It has an aluminum frame I might add.

I spent over a year in Turkey and can tell you only one thing. They are hard working people who take pride in their products. "They" feel they are equal to any products in the world and they want the world to know.

I never met an unfriendly person in Turkey. Well, there was this one guy...but we sorted it out.

Dan,

When I was writing for FMG I had a meeting with some guys from whatever factory makes their shotguns while at the SHOT show...those guys were an absolute kick in the pants; got some interesting stories from hanging out with them at one of the bars...anyhow... In-between drinks, their engineers were very interesting to talk to, and they do take pride in their gun making.

Never shot a CZ SP-01 to compare but my Tristar P120 is pretty impressive for $400. Well, total investment is a bit more now with CGW springs, CZ Custom grips, FO front sight and adjustable rear. 3.5 .lb single action and 6.5 lb. double. A trigger upgrade with on overtravel screw will be the next addition.



I would't choose it over my CZ 75 Tactical Sports but that's not really a fair comparison.

Well I am not metallurgist either, but do own a Hugulu shotgun. Same factory as the CZ comes from. Not sure about TriStar. I read all of the horror stories about the Turkish shotguns. For my sample of one I have had no issues at all in over 5 years. I will admit I am not a trap shooter that goes through boxes upon boxes a week but the shotgun has been used. The metal fit, wood, and engraving to me is on par with shotguns that cost 4 to 5 times as much as I paid.

Nice looking T-120 - ala "Custom" Well done, probably shoots as good as it looks.

I have a tristar c-100 (cz 75 compact copy) and a Canik TP9SF both have been 100% reliable. tristar is lighter than the real CZ. the TP9 will hold it's own or better a glock 17 , trigger reset is much shorter. and than one can add the $$ comparsion

Swapped into a Canik Stingray soon after they became available. Early model chrome, and adjustable sights.
I didn't really know much about them at that time but it just looked so good I traded.
Been happy with it ever since.

Good stuff, thanks guys.

Posting reply to test new image gallery to replace lost PB image in previous post.

BTW: I did install a CZ85 trigger with overtravel adjustment screw (not shown in the pic) and it is even better now!

Is that a CZ or a Canik?

I would say from his earlier post it is a Canik. Cheers NC

Reason I asked, when I contacted Canik, they remarked that the CZ aftermarket trigger kits wouldn't fit the Canik firearms.

That doesn't sound right to me, the Canik's are a true copy of the CZ75. The Witness and Jericho are both different. Call Cajun Gun Works, they're the CZ Guru's and make all the cool CZ stuff.

Do the Tristars have the firing pin block?

IIRC they do, same one as the CZ75B.