Earlier this year, TriStar released a new semi auto tactical shotgun called the KRX Tactical. It is a sharp looking, polymer framed magazine fed shotgun. Most interestingly, it looks and functions similar to an AR15. It resembles and AR by the stock, magazine and bolt release, forend handguard, full length 1913 rail and the thumb safety. It has a side charger which is consistent with semi auto shotguns along with a carry handle which also serves as an adjustable rear sight and a fiber optic front sight. The KRX Tactical shotgun has everything in the case needed to hit the range immediately.
When first handling the KRX, one can’t help but notice how light it is. It weighs only 7.4 pounds which mainly attributes to the polymer frame however it is very well built. Being so light, it has a certain toughness to it that is mainly felt when shooting. One would think the recoil would be substantial however with the help of the one inch soft rubber butt pad along with the smooth semi auto action, the KRX manages recoil no different than other semi auto shotguns I have shot.
Specifications:
Model: TriStar KRX Tactical Shotgun
Gauge: 12 gauge
Action: Semi auto
Magazines: 2 five round magazines included
Barrel Length: 20”
Chamber: Accepts 2 ¾ and 3 inch shells
Sights: Rear Sight connected to the carry handle, fiber optic front Sight (both polymer)
Choke: Ported Choke included
Sling Mounts: Rear located below the stock, Front on forend screw cap
Weight: 7.4 pounds
MSRP: $595
The MSRP for the TriStar KRX Tactical is $595 which puts this shotgun in a budget category for magazine fed semi auto shotguns. However, when I checked gunbroker, I found that the KRX can be purchased for the upper $400s. That is a great deal for a tactical semi auto shotgun of this quality. When compared to other magazine fed shotguns, the KRX is definitely budget friendly.
I figured this shotgun was very light, feature filled and priced well, so what’s the catch? I had to hit the range and fire this beauty with various loads to get a true feel of how the KRX Tactical performs. So off to the range I went and I have to say the KRX was excellent. I fired Federal 2 ¾ inch 6 shot target loads, Remington 3 inch 00 buckshot and Winchester 2 ¾ inch one ounce slugs. Right out of the case, the KRX handled all of those loads just fine.
A common issue with semi auto shotguns is feeding and ejecting light low brass loads. My main goal was to check out the KRX with the light Federal 6 shot target loads. With the first mag, I loaded five shells and shot three loads with one ejection problem with the shell caught on the ejection port. The same thing happened with the next five round mag. With round number three, the shell got caught on the ejection port again. After firing the first two mags with those issues, the rest of the 25 round box fired flawlessly. The Remington 00 buckshot and several Winchester slugs fired without issue. Long story short, after the first two magazines, the KRX worked excellent with every shell fired. I felt the short “break in” period was minor compared to the reliability it proved after two magazines fired.
The KRX Tactical also had a great feel to it. The sights line up well, the 6.5 pound trigger was quick and the recoil was manageable. I especially enjoyed the “AR – like” controls that felt very normal and comfortable from years of shooting sporting rifles. I plan to eventually remove the carry handle (rear sight) and add a red dot optic to co-witness the front sight which would make this tactical shotgun even more “AR – like.”
Overall, the TriStar KRX Tactical shotgun was impressive. I enjoyed loading two magazines with 12 gauge shells and firing away. Loading a round first then adding a five round mag allows six rounds that fire extremely quick with the semi auto action. I would like to see TriStar make a seven or eight round mag for even more range fun but I’m not complaining. My experiences taught me that this KRX Tactical is one heck of a shotgun for the money and I would recommend to anyone looking for a quality magazine fed semi auto shotgun. It was reliable and exciting which is exactly what I am looking for with this shotgun platform.
