Preview: TriStar Arms Cypher SP 12-Gauge Over-Under

TriStar’s Cypher SP is a loaded 12-gauge scattergun with features that clay target shooters want in an over-under shotgun.

by
posted on September 6, 2024
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Cyphersp Preview 1
A dedicated sporting gun, the TriStar Arms Cypher SP only comes in 12-gauge with a blued steel receiver and weighs about 7¼ pounds.
Photo by John Parker

The Cypher over-under shotgun line from TriStar Arms made its U.S. debut to the crowds at SHOT Show 2024 in Las Vegas this past January. One model geared towards clay target shooters, the Cypher SP 12-gauge over-under, offers 30-inch ported barrels and a handsome Walnut wood stock with adjustable comb.

Cypher SP break-action
The receiver is made from steel with a blued finish.

 

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, TriStar Arms has made a name for itself as a U.S. distributor of high quality Turkish-made shotguns and other guns. In my experience, TriStar break-action and semi-automatic shotguns are just as reliable as similar models from some better-known brands. Something else to note: At the company warehouse in Kansas City, TriStar staff select random guns for testing them to make sure they function in different conditions.

Cypher SP barrels
The 30-inch ported barrels have a top-mounted target rib that’s ventilated, along with an unobtrusive fiber-optic front sight.

 

TriStar’s new Cypher SP includes three-inch chambers and steel monobloc barrel construction. As previously mentioned, there’s an adjustable comb and 30-inch ported barrels, plus a target rib, red fiber-optic front sight and automatic ejectors. Additionally, the barrel selector and safety are located on the top tang. Moving the barrel selector to the left or right selects which barrel will fire first.

As for the stock and fore-arm, they are oil-finished Turkish Walnut. Length-of-pull is 14¼ inches and weight is 7.2 pounds.

Cypher SP stock
The deluxe Turkish Walnut checkered stock and fore-arm are oil-finished. To raise or lower the cheek riser on the stock, you can use the included wrench to loosen two screws on the side of the comb and adjust it. to your preference.

 

The Cypher SP comes with five extended choke tubes (all color coded; Skeet, Improved Cylinder, Modified, Improved Modified, Full), choke box and choke wrench.

After receiving it, I took the Cypher SP to my local sporting clays range for evaluation. To start I had two loads in my shell pouches, Federal’s Action Shotgun at 1,235 f.p.s. velocity and Winchester’s AA Diamond Grade at 1,250 f.p.s. velocity. Also, I did not adjust the cheek riser on the stock, since it had a solid fit for me out of the box.

Cypher SP choke tubes
Out of the box, the Cypher SP was quite stiff, but loosens up quickly.

 

It happened to be the hottest day of the year. And, with large thunderstorms looming in, my initial day of evaluation was cut short. However, I did shoot four stations with the Cypher SP before the bad weather that afternoon, which swung well and has a nice balance to it. I hit nine of my first 10 targets and only missed a few more, which was due to myself rather than the gun. The checkered wood makes for a comfortable grip. Additionally, the trigger pull is nice and crisp.

MSRP for the TriStar Cypher SP is $1,025. Read my full review in the September 2024 issue of the digital magazine.

SPECIFICATIONS

Importer: TriStar Arms, Kansas City, Missouri
Type: Boxlock over-under shotgun
Gauge: 12
Chambers: 3-inch
Barrels: 30-inches; ported, target rib
Trigger: Single, mechanical
Sight: Front fiber-optic
Safety: Tang-mounted, barrel selector
Stock: Turkish Walnut, oil-finished; adjustable comb
Receiver: Blued steel
Length of Pull: 14¼ inches
Overall Length: 47½ inches
Weight: 7 pounds, four ounces
Accessories: CT-5X extended choke tubes (Full, Imp. Mod., Mod., IC, Skeet)
MSRP: $1,025

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