It’s late July and dove season is now less than a month away in many states. Most folks consider dove season as the kickoff to the much-anticipated fall hunts. If there is any game bird that will give the shotgunner a real challenge it has to be the mourning dove. With their speed, small profile and the ability to conduct aerial acrobatics that would dizzy even the most accomplished circus trapeze performer, the dove is truly a challenge when it comes to wing shooting.
In New Mexico we are fortunate to not only be blessed with great numbers of mourning dove, but also whitewing and Eurasian collared dove, also known as ring neck dove. The latter is a nonnative bird that got out of hand it is said because of the pet industry. Both the whitewing and the Eurasian are larger than mourning dove, but never the less just as challenging to hit on the wing. The really cool thing is that if a hunter finds the right area, he or she could take all three species of dove in within the same day.
Add to the dove’s flying ability, shooting one on the wing with a .410 shotgun and you have yourself a real challenge. What else makes such a hunt a true pleasure, other than good hunting companions and a good bird dog? A fine quality shotgun of course. Enter TriStar Arms. The Kansas-City based gun manufacturer, which imports a wide variety of Turkish manufactured shotguns and pistols, is serious about quality and functionality having been in business for nearly 30 years.
About TriStar As a Manufacturer
TriStar is well-respected for its shotguns. And rightly so. But there’s more to it than that. The company now offers a full line of semi-automatic pistols. However, the shotgun line has evolved exponentially over the years, too. Consumers can expect to find semi-automatic, over/under, side by side, pump-action, and lever action models bearing the TriStar logo, with hunting, sporting, trap, and home-defense applications all well-represented.
According to the company website, the TriStar management team “has over 40 years’ experience and travels the world to bring the best possible price to our consumers.” Offering a five-year warranty that is specific to the function and operation of the guns offered under the TriStar Arms license. With that comes great craftmanship, reliability and a handsome firearm.
For last year’s dove season opener in southern New Mexico, I had the great pleasure of putting a TriStar over and under shotgun in .410 bore to the test. The Cypher over and under proved to be extremely functional and a real enjoyment for taking dove on the wing.
Hunting with the Cypher Over and Under
The Cypher line of Over & Under shotguns features a top tang barrel selector and safety along with a solid frame for durability and a fiber optic front bead for quick sight acquisition. Moving the selector left or right will select which barrel will fire first.
The Turkish Walnut stock & forearm is oil finished and absolutely beautiful. The steel mono-block barrel construction comes with 5 extended color/color-coded choke tubes: skeet, improved cylinder, improved modified, modified, and full. A choke box and choke wrench also come standard. The Cypher is offered in five gauges, .410, 28ga, 20ga, 16ga, and 12ga along with TriStar’s five-year mechanical warranty.
This past dove season I spent three days in the field with the .410 Cypher. This shotgun comes to bear naturally, is lightweight and just plain fun to shoot and hunt with. I shot it well using a variety of field loads in 8, 7 ½ and 6 shot sizes. On top of that, I took all three species of dove in New Mexico with this delightful over and under.
Tri-Star Cypher’s Features:
- Auto Ejectors
- Deluxe Oil Finished Turkish Walnut Stock
- Fiber Optic Sight
- 5.9lbs (.410)
- 28-inch barrels
- 3-inch chamber
- 5 Extended/Color Coded Chokes (SK, IC, M, IM, F)
- MSRP $1100
.410 Ammo I used
I prefer size 8, 7 1/2 or 6 shot for dove hunting with the .410, and in 3-inch shell loads, giving me a bit more shot and range. On occasion and if you want to give yourself even more of a challenge, use .410 in 2 1/2-inch shells! I found myself using mostly the Modified, Improved Modified, and occasionally the Full choke tubes. Either way you must choose your shots carefully and don’t expect the hit ratio you may have with your 12ga or 20ga.
.410 Ammo tried with the TriStar Cypher:
Brand | Velocity (fps) | Load | Length | Cost/Round |
Winchester/High Brass | 1135 fps | 11/16 oz. 6 Shot | 3-inch | .96 cents |
Remington/Express | 1135 fps | 11/16 oz. 6 Shot | 3-inch | $1.12 |
Federal/Game Load | 1135 fps | 11/16 oz.
7 ½ or 6 Shot | 3-inch | .88 cents |
Remington | 1300 fps | ½ oz. 8 Shot | 2 ½-inch | .80 cents |
Final Thoughts
Hunting with a .410 is just plain fun and without a doubt, challenging. The TriStar Cypher is a handsome shotgun with a streamlined profile that makes carry in the field a pleasure. Having spent numerous hunting days in the field with the Cypher I can honestly say I’ve never had a problem with the gun.
As to cost, you would be hard-pressed to find a side by side or over and under shotgun that will give you better quality and aesthetics of Cypher for the cost. Comparable shotguns of other well-known name brands will cost double or triple the price of a TriStar.
Will I continue to use TriStar shotguns? Without a doubt. Am I ready and itching to get the O/U .410 Cypher back into the field this dove season? What a silly question!