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Turkish Invasion Part 2 –

The Traditions ALS 2100

Hatsan, and Matsan Today our focus falls on the Tradi-


guns have arrived tions ALS 2100, a lightweight, gas-op-
bearing the names erated self-loader that has real poten-
Legacy Sports Inter- tial as a budget 3-gun blaster. Again,
national, Traditions, my local gun shop www.daves
Verona, and guns.com provided the tool for the
BY PATRICK KELLEY, A-14401 Stoeger, among oth- test—-thanks Dave! Manufactured by

H
opefully our last issue ers. For the budget-oriented 3-gun ATA and imported by Traditions, the
piqued your curiosity, and consumer, these Turkish designs offer ALS series includes an entire family of
you are ready for the next value at a discount price – some much variations on the same basic platform.
installment of the Turkish more so than others. Available in both 12 and 20 gauge with
shotgun tests. In case you
missed our last issue, Turkish
arms manufacturers have re-
cently begun invading the U.S.
market through American-
owned importers, affixing
western-sounding names to
surprisingly strong Turkish de-
signs. Hence Huglu, Sarsilmaz,

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48 FRONT SIGHT • January/February 2003


what seems to be the indus- looking at it you would only see two
try standard in chokes; im- pieces, the stationary piston rings on
proved cylinder, modified the barrel ring, and the reciprocating
and full. The buttstock and piston/action bar assembly. Pretty sim-
forearm are of nicely fig- ple eh?
ured Turkish walnut with a
high gloss finish. This gun The trigger group is straightfor-
would fit right in on your ward as well. The housing itself is
local sporting clays course. made of plastic while most of the fire
Since we are going to use control parts are of stamped steel. One
and abuse the finish we cross pin at the front and a tongue-and-
won’t dwell on this, but it is groove joint at the rear fastens the as-
a rich-looking gun for little sembly to the receiver. An interesting
money. feature found on the ALS 2100 is a car-
tridge drop lever. Benelli owners are
Easyloadin’. The ALS 2100’s shell carrier stays half-de- familiar with this item, as are Beretta
pressed between shots, forming a kind of “shell well.” It’s On to the gas system FP1201 users. In use, the manual cy-
one of the easiest designs to speed-reload this side of a Quickly put, it’s too simple. cling of the bolt will not draw a shell
Mossberg pump. How can this gun work from the magazine tube unless the
barrel lengths from 24” to 28”, all are without the pressure com- drop lever is used. Located on the left
equipped with screw-in chokes and pensating multi-valve, spring relief, side of the trigger guard and forward of
your choice of synthetic or handsome and O-ring replacement gas parts? the trigger, this device allows the user
wood stocks. They even offer a plain- Again, very well indeed. This gun’s gas to change loads without disturbing the
barrel 20” fixed cylinder bore home system looks like it has taken a step remaining rounds in the tube. A sec-
defense model that wears a synthetic back in time. Do any of you remember ondary trait of this feature is that of a
stock and could be readily adapted to the touted virtues of “twin action cocking indicator.
our sport. bars?” “No twisting or binding,” etc?
Well the 1897 Winchester and the Ergonomically this gun is the best
To make it easier for resale at this Ithaca 37 got along fine for many years of the three Turkish self-loaders I have
time of year, Dave ordered in a 26” without “twins,” and so it goes for the handled to date. Unlike many other
field model with a Turkish walnut ALS 2100. The gas flows as follows: self-loading shotguns, the ALS 2100 is
stock. My initial impression was Gas diverted through two holes in the blessed with a free shell carrier. No
“Wow, this is a beautiful shotgun. It barrel ring impinges on the one-piece buttons to push or parts to add to gain
costs how much!?” With a suggested piston/action bar assembly, driving it access to the magazine tube. Addition-
retail price of $479 and a street price of rearward to run the action. The gasses ally, the carrier release button is on the
considerably less, if this shotgun works are prevented from leaking around the right side of the receiver (where it
half a good as it looks we might have a barrel ring at the front by a seal and an should be). The carrier itself is unusual
winner here. I am happy to report to O-ring held in place by a plug. At the in that it rides lower in the receiver (as
you that the ALS 2100 does work very rear of the barrel ring are the two sta- viewed with the gun turned upside
well indeed. tionary piston rings that seal the inter- down for loading). If you were to set a
loose round on the carrier, you could
Let’s look at the inside of this self- face between them and the moving pis- let go and the shell would rest in a kind
loader before we take it out for a drive. ton/action bar (the manual labels this of “shell well” formed the by the sides
Weighing in at close to 6 pounds, this part “cartridge sliding bar tube”). The of the receiver. This can only help in
offering from Traditions is built on a last two seals are within the “cartridge our quest for quick reload since the
well-polished and deeply blued alu- sliding bar tube.” These seals prevent carrier is staged to direct the shell into
minum alloy receiver. The 26” vent rib the gas from blowing through the area the magazine tube.
barrel is chrome lined and comes with between the tube and the magazine. In
Simple Simon. The ALS 2100’s gas system looks too simple to survive. Why doesn’t it break?

Simple seals Solid steel piston Single action bar


January/February 2003 • FRONT SIGHT 49
Let’s shoot! This time out I really started to like this gun has had a good reputation for
Gathering up an assortment of this thing. What’s not to like? It’s fast durability during its two years of im-
shells with 7/8 ounce to 1-¼ ounce (.12 splits), it seems reliable, it’s light portation. Not only that, but all parts
payloads and dram equivalents from 3 (is that a good thing?). The gas system and service are available in house via
to 3 ¾, I headed for my local shooting is very simple. The controls are cor- the Old Saybrook, Conn. facility. No
area. I had not removed the capacity- rectly laid out, with a free carrier and a apparent worries about service after
limiting plug so all my shooting was in cool “shell well” to boot. It will accept the sale with this Turkish shotgun.
three round bursts. Well, not really a Remington 1100 magazine tube ex-
bursts because the gun would not cycle tension and the gun itself is inexpen- What does it need for speed?
anything but the 1 ¼ —-3 ¾ loads! sive. OK, so where am I going with
If I were to set up this gun for 3-
this? I’m concerned about long-term
“Great, a six pound shotgun that gunning, the addition of an 1100 mag-
durability. I don’t have the time or
only shoots heavy pheasant loads,” I azine tube extension, a www.3gun
money to see how this gun will hold up
thought, massaging my shoulder. gear.com sidesaddle, and a Pachmayr
over the long haul but there are some
decelerator clays recoil pad would be
things that may give us some insight.
Back to the house I went, steaming about all that is needed. Given a choice
Most of the current crop of gas guns
with angry thoughts of a shotgun that of any of the ALS shotguns, I would
have some sort of buffer system to keep
did not work. Every gun deserves a pick up the home defense model and
the reciprocating parts from battering
second chance (some people don’t, but add the same parts plus a set of rifle
the stationary parts. It may be a soft or
guns do) so I decided to let the gun sit sights. It’s cheap, easy and good to go!
hard material at the rear of the receiver
for a week with the bolt locked back,
or bolt, or between the action works If I had to go to a match with one
hoping for a quick and cheap break-in
and the receiver. This gun has neither. of the three guns I have tested so far,
(I’m shooting my ammo, after all). I
Maybe it can take the abusive contact this one would get the nod, but I still
guess the second chance was a good
of steel on aluminum but I don’t know. have one more to test and two more to
idea, because on the second time out
the gun ran all the ammo I had on hand report on. So until then, hit your local
I placed a call to the folks at Tradi-
for the test plus what another gun dealer and check out the offerings from
tions. After talking with customer ser-
would not run — in all about 220 Traditions. Tell them you heard
vice rep Jeff Brenneman and marketing
rounds. about it in Front Sight!
director Jim Bruno, I was assured that

50 FRONT SIGHT • January/February 2003

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