Turkish Shotguns

[Guest MATTUSAF]

Hey, does anyone know what the deal is the these turk shotguns. I've heard more than a couple people talk about them now.

They make it sound like people who are TDY over there are bringing them back by the dozens.

I'm just curious...I like guns.

[Bergman]

I went to Turkey in June and it's not as great a deal as everyone claims (or, perhaps, as it used to be). Basically, they have great engraved shotguns for relatively cheap...much cheaper than in the states at least. The problem is getting them back into the US. You have to have them shipped from the shop in Turkey to a licensed firearms dealer here in the states. So, if you have a FFL or know someone who does, it won't be that difficult. If not, then you'll have to contact a local gun shop and arrange for them to receive your gun.

The second problem I've heard is that the guns don't last. A few guys in my unit bought them the last time we went (1997) and said they rusted and pitted pretty quickly. I don't know how well they took care of them, but I know that even a cheap Remington or Winchester seems to hold up better than they described with little or no maintenance.

[ClearedHot]

I looked at them several times and decided to invest in a Ruger Red Lable instead.

Best Quail-Dove shotgun I've ever shot, and it looks and works the same today as it did six years ago.

[ 02. December 2005, 12:49: Message edited by: Clearedhot ]

[F-15E WSO]

When I was there, everyone bought them. One guy almost blew his foot off at the range when the gun "went off by itself" (THE HATCH JUST BLEW).

I think they look nice. No words on longevity.

[Bergman]

Originally posted by F-15E WSO:

(THE HATCH JUST BLEW).

Obscure but Nice!! Gus Grissom and the Hatch

[Guest MATTUSAF]

Thanks for the info, I'll have to check 'em out when I get over there.

[B-O-double-Z]

I bought two of them in early '01. They are basic over/unders. I picked up a 12 ga. and 20 ga.

I got the most simple ones I could find. They don't have shell ejectors, just extractors when you break them open.

I have several other guns but use the 12 ga. Huglu the most. There is basically very little that can go wrong with it. I've put thousands of rounds through it with no problems and I like the feel of the gun.

It does have a little pitting around the but end of the barrels, visible when you crack it open, but nothing that worries me. I beat the hell out of it.

In paid something like $220 each for them--well worth the money in my book.

[FreudianSlip]

I was there for about 4 days and spent most of my time learning/researching rugs. If you are looking for something cool I would go with the rugs. I bought a nice one and then went to the base post office and shipped it home. I was going in-country for a few months and I didn't know how customs would look at it on the way in or out so I mailed it home.

Now for the shotguns (the Hugulos....or something like that...I can't spel wel anyways).

I did look into and this WAS my plan: On the way in I got the FFL forms from a dealer and picked out the shotguns I wanted and got the model numbers. I WAS going to mail the forms to the ATF, have them mail the forms to my home(a friend was picking up my mail), then have that friend mail them back to me. On the way out, I was going to buy the guns and fly home with them. When I met customs I would have the forms all done and presto.

Since I dropped some serious $$ on the rug I didn't go through with it.

Some guys from my crew were told they could do the following: buy the guns and have the dealer ship them home where the US post office would hold them until someone came to pick them up w/ the ATF forms. The individual would then fill out the forms, send them to the ATF and then have them sent home where their wives would take the processed forms to the Post Office. I don't think this worked and they were out some serious $$ as the post office never contacted their wives when the guns arrived and they disappeared.

I would ship them to a FFL dealer and pay the fees. I also agree that the art work is amazing and I was simply going to "mount it over the fireplace" not really use it.

If I could do it again. I would take in about 5K and buy a few different rugs. Keep one or two for myself and the others...well do what you want with them. I got a spectacular 4x6 for 800 hundred and even the others who were buying were amazed at the colors. Usually those sizes go for around 6-700. The 8x10 rugs are in the 1K+ range.

Hope this helps.

[Guest 135WOODY]

I was at Incirlik in 2002 and bought 4 of the 12G Monte Carlo models for around $300. I researched and found that there is a company in Chicago that sells Huglu's, but price comparison for the models I bought was around $1600. I have had no complaints. As far as getting them back to the states. I downloaded the ATF forms from the internet and mailed them while I was still over there. I brought the guns home with me on the plane and when we landed Customs took them and gave them to our SP's to put in the vault. A few weeks later I got my papework back from the ATF and took it to the Customs office, they signed and stamped them. I then took the paperwork to the SP's and they gave me my guns. Very simple precoess. However, let me emphasize that the guns CANNOT be resold. Someone attempted to do this at my base. I guess the ATF, or someone, does random audits and audited the guy. Well,long story short, he couldn't produce all the guns for the audit. He lost his Technician and did a year in jail. Needless to say, Customs has given us a hard time since.

Hope this helps.