Click pictures for a larger version.
Slide lock.
Manual safety.
Firing pin safety prevents forward movement of the
firing pin unless trigger is pulled.
Slide rails run inside of the frame.
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TriStar Sporting Arms
has been an importer of reliable, well-made,
and affordable shotguns for several years, and they have now
added a line of rugged and reliable pistols to their catalog.
Shown here is their S-120 semi-automatic 9x19mm pistol. This
pistol is based upon the excellent design pioneered by the CZ-75
almost four decades ago, and features a frame/slide rail design
that preceded the CZ-75 by several years. The S-120 is built in
Turkey, and is a very solid pistol design. The slide rails ride
inside the frame, and run the full length of the frame and
slide, providing a rigid design that contributes to better
accuracy and more strength. Being of double-action/single-action
design, the S-120 can be carried with the hammer down on a
loaded chamber, allowing the first shot to be fired with a long,
smooth stroke of the trigger, and subsequent shots can be fired
single-action, as the hammer remains cocked until manually
lowered. In addition, the S-120 can be carried "cocked and
locked", with the hammer cocked and the safety on, and then
fired by releasing the safety and pulling the trigger in
single-action mode for each shot. The S-120 has an internal
firing pin safety, to prevent the firing of the weapon if
dropped upon its muzzle. The trigger must be held to the
rearward position for the weapon to fire.
The S-120 shown here is an all-steel pistol, with the
exception of the plastic magazine followers and plastic grip
panels. Even being built of steel, the pistol balances very
well, and is not excessively heavy. The grip feels very good in
my hand, and that opinion is pretty much universal with most
shooters, except for those who think that nothing but a Glock
feels right. For those folks, there is no known cure.
The S-120 shown here wears a hard chrome finish which is
good-looking, corrosion resistant, and durable. The magazines
are blued steel, and each hold seventeen shots of 9mm
ammunition, for a loaded capacity of eighteen. The sights are
blued steel, and are of the popular three-dot pattern, with the
rear being drift-adjustable for windage correction. The S-120
wears a ramped barrel, which contributes to smooth feeding and
superior strength.
Critical
specifications for the TriStar S-120 are listed in the chart
below. The weights are listed in ounces, and linear measurements
in inches. The grip and frame widths were measured at their
widest parts. The maximum width is measured across the frame and
includes the safety lever. The height includes the sights and
magazine base. The single action pull is very good, with a crisp
release, and the double action pull is smooth and even
throughout its travel. The trigger pull is listed as pounds of
resistance.
Chambering |
9x19mm (9mm Luger) |
Weight |
35.4 oz. |
Height |
5.58" |
Length |
7.98" |
Slide Width |
0.913" |
Maximum Grip Width |
1.98" |
Frame Width |
1.02" |
Maximum Width |
1.38" |
Trigger Pull SA |
4.6 lbs. |
Trigger Pull DA |
9.42 lbs. |
Trigger Reach SA |
2.85" |
Trigger Reach DA |
3.05" |
Barrel Length |
4.623" |
Magazine Capacity |
17 |
Magazines Supplied |
2 |
MSRP as of August 12th, 2013 |
$439 US |
I
fired a variety of ammunition through the TriStar 9mm over the
chronograph to check velocities, with the results listed in the
chart below. Velocities are listed in feet-per-second. Bullet
weights are listed in grains. JHP is a jacketed hollowpoint
bullet. DPX, Buffalo Bore Lead Free, and Double Tap Tac-XP
are hollow nose homogenous copper bullets that are made
by Barnes Bullets. Guard
Dog is a FMJ with a soft plastic core to promote rapid
expansion. UHD is Remington Ultimate Home Defense ammunition. FP
is a frangible, pre-fragmented flatnose bullet. FMJ is a full
metal jacket roundnose bullet. PB is Pow’RBall,
a specialty bullet from Cor-Bon. Glaser is a pre-fragmented
bullet. Velocities were taken at an elevation of 541 feet above
sea level, with an air temperature of eighty-eight degrees
Fahrenheit, and eighty-four percent humidity. Velocities were
recorded at ten feet from the muzzle.
Ammunition |
Bullet Weight |
Velocity |
Buffalo
Bore Lead Free +P HP |
95 |
1441 |
Buffalo
Bore Lead Free +P HP |
115 |
1234 |
Remington
UHD HP |
124 |
1135 |
Federal
Guard Dog |
105 |
1236 |
Double
Tap +P Tac-HP |
115 |
1121 |
Double
Tap +P FMJ |
147 |
1088 |
Atomic
+P HP |
124 |
1203 |
WCC
NATO FMJ |
124 |
1142 |
Fiocchi
FMJ |
115 |
1121 |
Buffalo
Bore +P JHP |
124 |
1267 |
Buffalo
Bore +P JHP |
115 |
1313 |
Buffalo
Bore +P+ JHP |
115 |
1423 |
Buffalo
Bore +P JHP |
147 |
1135 |
Cor-Bon
Glaser |
80 |
1597 |
Cor-Bon
+P JHP |
115 |
1289 |
Cor-Bon
Pow’RBall |
100 |
1312 |
Cor-Bon
+P DPX |
115 |
1243 |
Cor-Bon
+P JHP |
125 |
1254 |
Stryker
FMJ |
115 |
886 |
During all phases of shooting the S-120, only
one malfunction occurred. It was early in the testing, and the
slide failed to pick up a cartridge from the magazine. Other
than that one malfunction, the weapon was one hundred percent
reliable; feeding, firing, and ejecting full-metal-jacket,
hollowpoint, and specialty ammo perfectly. The slide locks back
when the magazine is empty, and the empty magazines eject easily
when released. Accuracy was superb, with the TriStar turning in
an accuracy performance as good as many match-grade pistols, and
better than most service pistols. The largest group fired
measured only two and one-quarter inches center-to-center for
five shots at twenty-five yards, fired while secured into a Ransom
Master Series machine rest. Many groups fired were in the
one-inch range, using high performance hollowpoint ammunition. I was pleasantly surprised by the accuracy of this pistol,
especially considering the very affordable price. There are
pistols on the market that cost three times as much that will
not equal the accuracy of this TriStar.
The TriStar S-120 is an affordable, reliable,
full-sized 9mm pistol that would serve very well for service or
home defense. It is
very nicely finished, and very comfortable to shoot, handling
the recoil of even Plus P ammunition easily.
Check out the complete line of TriStar
firearms and accessories online at www.tristararms.com.
To order the TriStar S-120 online, go to www.galleryofguns.com.
To
order quality 9mm ammunition, go to www.buffalobore.com,
www.midsouthshooters.com,
www.doubletapammo.com,
and www.luckygunner.com.
Jeff Quinn
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Click pictures for a larger version.
S-120 comes with hard case, cable lock, instructions,
two magazines, and cleaning tools.
Steel-bodied magazines hold seventeen rounds each.
Accuracy testing was done with TriStar pistol secured
into a Ransom Master Series machine
rest.
Accuracy was superb, as shown by these 25-yard groups.
Disassembly for cleaning is quick and easy, and requires
no tools.
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