Turkish pump gun experiment - Copolla PA-1225

[Lon]

I’ve been on a shotgun kick here recently and wanted a new project. So I decided to get one of the Turk pump guns to see what they’re all about. My first experience with Turk shotguns was with my MKA1919 and it was a good experience. I’ve still got it, although I haven’t it shot it much since I stopped shooting 3G. After doing a bunch of internet surfing I decided to get the Copolla PA-1225. I got mine off GB and with fees and everything it was about $290. I knew there was a likelihood that there would be issues I’d have to deal with and I wasn’t disappointed because there were a few.

So why am I doing this? A couple of reasons. First, I look at this kind of like my SD9 project - a quest to see if there is an inexpensive option that may not be perfect or the absolute best option, but is good enough. Second, I like to tinker and I’d much rather do my garage gunsmithing on something that I’m not gonna be upset about if I screw it up royally.

Here’s a stock picture:


So what issues were there from the start? First, the LOP was stupid long (which I expected). Second, none of the screws were tight (which didn’t surprise me since I’d read about guns that was the case on). The front sight wiggled back and forth and I was able to remove the screw with my fingers. Third, the rail/ghost ring rear sight had an issue. The 1913 rail slides onto a narrow, .22 rifle like rail and is only held on with one screw (which I also knew about). The screw on this one, when I looked at it once I got it home, was at an angle. Removing it showed the hole was off center. Fourth, the magazine spring wasn’t replaceable from the factory (which I knew about), so I would have to deal with that to add a mag extension.




After thinking about it, I decided to chop the stock down, fix the problem with the rail and make sure all the screws were tight and Loctited.

I started with the rail. After thinking about it a bit more, I decided to drill and tap w new holes. I wanted to drill one right in front of the off center hole and to make that easier I cut off the first section of the 1913 rail, which allowed the whole rail to move forward a bit so that the very back of the rail covered the off centered hole and there was space for the new hole. After doing that I drilled and tapped 2 more holes to give the rail some added support during recoil.





Once I got that done, I had to figure out how to chop the stock down. The factory stock was completely hollow so there wasn’t anything to screw a recoil pad into once I chopped it. After giving it some thought, I bought a foot long section of 1” diameter acetal copolymer and cut off a couple of pieces to JB weld into the stock to give me something to drill into. Once I got that ordered, I measured how much of the stock I needed to chop to give me a 12 1/4” LOP once I added a limbsaver recoil pad I had laying around (ordered the wrong one for a Magpul shotgun stock a while back and never returned it). Then I got to cutting. Once the stock was chopped and the copolymer came in I cut off a couple inch long sections and JB welded them into place. Once those had cured I fit the limbsaver pad. The limbsaver pad I have isn’t one that’s supposed to be custom fit, but it worked.





Why 12 1/4”? Most of my shooting will probably be with a vest/PC on which will push that LOP out to 12.5-13”.

I was a little concerned when I loaded up some dummy rounds into the tube because they got stuck in the tube and the gun wouldn’t cycle them. But when I used loaded shells, it worked just fine. Inspecting the dummy rounds showed the brass rims were all jacked up. They’ve been used a bunch over the years. Time for some new ones.

One thing I still need to fix is the forearm. It is slick as snot, so I foresee some stippling in my future. Replacing the forearm with a Magpul or some other aftermarket forearm is out of the question I think due to how it’s made and works with the action bars. Then I need to figure out how to add a sling.

Work done so far:


I should be able to shoot it this week to see how it patterns. I’ll update this post as I go.

[breakingtime91]

Awesome thread. I had a 1301 that I sold to fund some other stuff and miss having a 12 gauge around. I have been debating getting a pump gun because I always enjoyed shooting them, the supernova with the collapsible m4 stock has peaked my interest at 500-600 dollars.

[DDTSGM]

Kind of off topic, but which Turkish import most closely copies the 870? Looking for a winter project that, like Lon, I won't be devastated if I screw up.

[Erick Gelhaus]

Very cool.

[willie]

ATA brand is a common shotgun offering from Turkey. I noticed that Briley in Houston is their warranty repair center. My opinion is that the quality of a Turkey shotgun has much to do with oversight by the importer. Those made for Weatherby appear to be a notch above some of the others. Benelli owns the Stoeger factory in Turkey and supervises the inertia driven auto that some consider a Benelli clone. However, there are several differences.

I am a CZ student so to speak. The customer rep for my area and I visit occasionally. He convinced me that CZ keeps a keen eye of those Turkey guns stamped CZ. My lgs is a CZ dealer, and on the owner's day off, I disassemble the
CZ shotguns. The pumps are extremely well made. They sell for about $350, have beautiful walnut stocks, a black chrome finish, and a chrome chamber and bore. Plus the barrels have vent ribs and accept choke tubes. Want a fine home defense shotgun? Buy one and chop the barrel.

Recently I bought a Stoeger 3000 inertia driven security shotgun. Recoil is fierce. The damn thing kicks more than a pump of the same weight. I'm tweaking it to run with low recoil buckshot. Unlike the Benelli, in the Stoeger version the recoil mechanism is up front. There's a set of action bars and a giant spring that slams backwards upon firing. The Benelli lacks the action bars, and the spring is in the butt stock. So there is less "stuff" flying back and forth upon firing. Years ago I had a 10 gauge 31/2 inch pump with a 22 inch barrel. The Stoeger 3000 kicks more than the 10 gauge, or so it seems.

I recommend the Mossberg Maverick for $200. Locally the 590 sells for $379.

[Hambo]

I am a CZ student so to speak. The customer rep for my area and I visit occasionally. He convinced me that CZ keeps a keen eye of those Turkey guns stamped CZ. My lgs is a CZ dealer, and on the owner's day off, I disassemble the
CZ shotguns. The pumps are extremely well made. They sell for about $350, have beautiful walnut stocks, a black chrome finish, and a chrome chamber and bore. Plus the barrels have vent ribs and accept choke tubes. Want a fine home defense shotgun? Buy one and chop the barrel.

I know this thread is about pumps, but do you have any info on their O/Us?

[willie]

I know this thread is about pumps, but do you have any info on their O/Us?

I have examined four of their lower tier O/U shotguns in 20 and 12 gauge. Machining was precise. I could find no fault with the way these were put together. The factory rep and I examined one of these together. He convinced me that they are excellent shotguns. They have extractors and not ejectors. The Drake is the model name. The Quail is the same gun but with a shorter stock for smaller frame persons. It is not a true youth stock. I think length of pull is 13 3/4 inches. I know zero about how well they pattern. Price at my lgs is $589. They make a similarly priced side by side. I would jump up and down to have one of these in 28 gauge. The rep told me that CZ presold every single production item.

[TGS]

Not a pump, but a quick look at the CZ lineup shows the 712 Utility, a 20" barreled semi-auto 4+1 that looks like it has promise. Not that $1000 is grossly expensive for a combat firearm, but retailing for half the price of the Beretta 1301 at just ~$500 certainly is appealing as long as the quality commensurate with CZ is there.

[Lon]

Not a pump, but a quick look at the CZ lineup shows the 712 Utility, a semi-auto 4+1 that looks like it has promise. Not that $1000 is grossly expensive for a combat firearm, but retailing for half the price of the Beretta 1301 at just ~$500 certainly is appealing as long as the quality commensurate with CZ is there.

I looked at the 712 and the Stoeger M3000. The Stoeger I was really interested in has been unobtanium for months and I didn’t want to buy the M3000 versions that are available, plus I really wanted a gas gun vs inertia. I’ve got a Turk gas gun that’s supposed to be a clone of the 1301 on the way. I’ll do a separate post for it when it comes in (hopefully later this week).

From what I saw and have read, the 712 would be a good choice for someone.

[167]

Kind of off topic, but which Turkish import most closely copies the 870? Looking for a winter project that, like Lon, I won't be devastated if I screw up.

I don’t think they are Turkish, but the Blue Line guns from Brownells are pretty close to an 870. At least that is my understanding.

https://www.brownells.com/firearms/s...rod139411.aspx