One of the product categories that consumers can't miss in recent years is the concept of the non-NFA, shotshell-firing firearm. It sounds complicated, but the idea is fairly simple. It's a firearm based on one of today's popular shotgun receivers, such as the Remington 870, Mossberg 590 or the Remington V3. However, instead of attaching a buttstock, the gun receives a birdshead-style grip that precludes any firing from the shoulder. Since the gun isn't fired from the shoulder and measures more than 26 inches long, it's classified as a non-NFA firearm.
Mossberg was one of the first to wade into these uncharted waters with its Shockwave, a pump-action design based on the company's popular 590 shotgun receiver. Remington followed soon after with its Tac-14, but consumers clamored for a semi-automatic variant. That finally came with the Remington Tac-13, which is based on the company's proven V3 action. The Versa Max gas system used in the gun keeps recoil manageable, a nice feature for a compact firearm chambered in 12-ga. Here's what American Rifleman staffers had to say in the magazine's review of the Tac-13:
We tested the Tac-13 with a variety of 12-ga. loads, ranging from practice-grade, low-brass birdshot to premium, high-brass buckshot loads. It fed, fired and ejected all of the test ammunition without any malfunctions. Formal pattern testing was conducted at 15 yds. using Hornady’s 2¾", 12-ga. Varmint Express No. 4 Buckshot load, containing 24 lead pellets with a listed velocity of 1350 f.p.s. This load produced patterns that averaged 6.5" in size from the 13" cylinder-bore barrel at that range.
The Remington V3 Tac-13 semi-automatic’s price tag is about double that of the pump-action PGOs on the market. However, this gun’s quality, reliability, self-loading mechanism—and the option to operate it one-handed in an emergency—may well justify the added expense for those who are in the market for a platform like this one. It’s certainly among the most well-made models currently available in the PGO firearm class, and a more manageable option than some thanks to the recoil-softening Versa Max gas system.
You can read the full review here.To qualify for consideration for a Golden Bullseye Award, a product must have been:
- Recently introduced and available to consumers prior to the selection of the Golden Bullseye Awards;
- Used/tested by a staff member or regular contributor to the magazine and/or affiliated media;
- Reliable in the field, meeting or exceeding the evaluator’s expectations;
- Innovative in design and function;
- Readily perceived as a value to the purchaser; and
- Styled in a manner befitting the shooting and hunting industry and, perhaps more importantly, its enthusiasts.
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