Meet the Tristar LR94
TriStar goes headlong into the lever gun market with a trio of .410-bore cowboy-style shotguns. Like the company’s other offerings, the LR94 family is built in Turkey. Three variants launched simultaneously: matte blued, case colored, and nickel silver finishes. Each is built around an aluminum receiver dressed in Turkish walnut furniture.
Like other levers on the market, the TriStar chambers 2.5-inch shells exclusively. Stocks are checkered, finished with a slim recoil pad, and include sling studs. TriStar offers shooters a choice of either a 22- or 24-inch barrel, each accepting interchangeable choke tubes. A leather-wrapped, slimline loop adds to more traditional cowboy flair. MSRPs are $990 for Matte, $1,070 for Silver, and $1,100 for Case Color – but they can be found for less on Guns.com!
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Our Test Gun
We were tickled to snag a nickel silver and walnut variant for our testing purposes. It is a pretty sharp-looking piece. Our 22-inch barreled model measures 40.5 inches overall, with a full 14-inch length of pull. The half-length magazine tube limits capacity to 5+1 rounds, but some hunters will still require plugging the tube.
The gun weighs 6.3 pounds empty and balances quite well in the hand. It ships in a basic black cardboard box with a manual and basic choke wrench. It must be noted that no extra choke tubes are included. The LR94 shipped with a modified choke tube, which is a nice all-around choice. We would, however, like to have a full choke if wild turkeys or other distant game were on docket.
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Field Notes
While it’s a plus that the LR94 uses interchangeable choke tubes, for the price point, we would like to see at least a few additional chokes included.
The oversized dial safety atop the bolt is unlike any we’ve seen. Though it serves its purpose, its size and location are rather intrusive, especially for the aesthetics of the gun.
Likewise, the rear sight does its job, but could use some fine-tuning. The boxy outline lends to some sharp corners that tend to snag on gun cases, and for shooters fast-handling the gun, that sight can scratch.
There’s plenty to appreciate, though. The checkered walnut stocks are classy. Adding a leather-wrapped loop contributes to the Western flair. Though the action felt a bit gritty out of the box, a quick cleaning remedied that. After a few rounds, the cycling was sleek.
Range Time
After our experience with another Turkish-built lever shotgun– the GForce LVR410 – we gave the TriStar a thorough cleaning before heading to the range. Though we expected a break-in period, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that the gun fed flawlessly right out of the box.
We ventured out with as much .410 ammunition as we could muster amid shortages, including Federal Top Gun, Winchester AA, Aguila, and some handloads for birdshot. In addition, we ran a few rounds of Hornady Triple Defense and some American Tactical buckshot. By and large, the LR94 ate it up.
We did experience two failures to fire, one with Aguila and the other with reloads, both due to light primer strikes. Both came within the first 18 rounds of live fire and did not occur again over the ensuing 80-90 more rounds.
Loading the LR94 takes some muscle. Coming from someone who shoots lots of lever guns, including side gates, this was the most difficult. We found using the next shell to exert enough pressure, at the correct angle, was the best way to load the tube. Perhaps this will get easier with time, but it did not change over the course of our 100-plus rounds. The LR94 uses a half-length magazine tube that comes with a plug in place, which is convenient for hunters.
Like the fellow Turkish-built GForce Arms lever gun we recently tested, the TriStar uses the tang-to-lever safety, which requires the shooter to remain mindful of not just closing the lever but putting positive upward pressure against the action to disengage the safety. Even more so than with the GForce, the LR94 requires a focus to this point. After some practice on the range, muscle memory comes naturally, but this is an additional step compared to old classic levers from Marlin, Winchester, or Henry Repeating Arms.
Related: Budget Lever-Action Shotgun – Reviewing GForce’s LVR410
Conclusion
