It seems like every couple of years, a new bullpup rifle or shotgun hits the market and threatens once again, to make bullpups hit the mainstream vein of the US market. While the likes of the IWI Tavor, the UTAS-15 and the legendary Steyr Aug have picked up a number of fans, these designs have never broken the mold entirely. TriStar Arms is looking to make their own impact on the market, courtesy of the Compact Tactical shotgun. The typical knock on almost every bullpup is the trigger, but that should be less of an issue with shotguns right?
The Compact Tactical is chambered for up to 3″ 12 gauge rounds. It possesses a 20″ barrel, despite only having a 30″ overall length. It is based on the AK-47 receiver, thus making it a gas-operated semi-auto. It arrived with 2x five round mags, a carrying handle, a Magpul AFG and Magpul MBUS sights. I’ll get this out to the range, broken in and tested soon. Meanwhile, here’s my unboxing of “big ugly”.