Years of experience have proven the AR style rifle to be heavily favored by American shooters. You might even say it’s become America’s favorite. So it should come as no surprise that the design has made its way into the shotgun world.
Ergonomics and manual of arms that match your favorite rifle can be particularly helpful when shooting competitively, which is exactly what our subject today is. We’re taking a look at the Tokarev TT-12 Pro 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun.
Tokarev USA imports a variety of shotguns from, you guessed it, Türkiye Turkey. Imported Turkish shotguns have flooded the US market over the years. Seemingly endless copies and options are available in Turkey, as their shotgun market is quite robust. That, coupled with favorable trade agreements with the United States’ thriving firearms market and reasonable prices is a recipe for brisk sales.
You might be asking a boomer question like, Why do you want an AR-style shotgun? The answer: this is America and such questions are just as silly as, Why do you need a gun at all?
One of the reasons this type of shotgun has grown in popularity is a spike in tactical shooting sports. Different kinds of competitions and sports like 2-gun and 3-gun matches have increased demand for different shotgun configurations. And, as is typical, people tend to find the value of one design over another and incorporate these guns into other shooting activities be it defense or hunting.
The Tokarev TT-12 Pro is designed specifically for those looking to use it in the shooting sports, incorporating features for those looking to shave seconds off their stage times. The TT-12 Pro AR/M4-style ambidextrous controls and and an reversible charging handle that you can put on either the right or left side of the shotgun.
It’s fed from a detachable box mag in the MKA/T‑1919 magazine pattern which can be had in various capacities from five to as many as 20 or more rounds, depending on the manufacturer.
The shotgun comes with a fairly robust handguard (because it houses much of the action operation), as well as a Picatinny rail for mounting sights. It also ships with a set of polymer flip-up sights. And because it’s a shotgun, it comes with a set of chokes so you can tune your patterns to what and how far you’ll be shooting. All this is coated in a black Cerakote finish and comes with a 1-year warranty.
The TT-12 PRO is operated by a gas piston action that’s housed under that handguard. All of the mechanical parts are housed in the upper receiver. So unlike an AR-15, you cannot pull the bolt carrier out from the back. The buffer tube assembly is hollow and serves no function besides the stock mounting.
It appears to require a spanner that I don’t have to disassemble the upper. And though I’m a tinkerer, I didn’t feel like traipsing into the unknown on this one. Best I can tell, it looks to have a piston that goes around the gas perch, much like a Beretta or other semi-auto. Motion is transferred through an operating rod to the bolt carrier. The bolt itself appears to lock into the barrel extension much like a Remington 870.
After installing the polymer iron sights that came with the gun, I decided to add a red dot as well. I don’t use red dots much with shotguns, but with this one it seemed more fitting. For this purpose I used a SIG SAUER Romeo. It mounts easily to the Pic rail and gave a good sight picture.
I grabbed a few boxes of target ammo from Federal Champion as well as some from Rio Ammunition. While this might not seem like a bird gun, I still wanted to grab a case of White Flyer clay targets and a hand-thrower just to see how I could connect with aerial targets.
Loading the magazine was easy enough, though I noticed it took some practice to avoid catching one case head against the previously loaded one. That said, they sure come out of the mag easily. I decided to put the charging handle on the left side of the gun. Then I fired a few shots to zero the red dot.
We spent the next few hours putting the Tokarev through a variety of shooting drills. I won’t say I’m any good at any kind of 3-gunning activity, but boy we sure had some fun.
I had no problem getting a good cheek weld, but there’s an adjustable comb that can be added to the buttstock should you want it. The mag release button is a touch stiffer than I anticipated, but I expect that’s because it’s made for some pretty heavy magazines with a lot of leverage over it.
I was surprised by the recoil. It’s not bad, but seems stouter than other shotguns that weigh less. I can only assume that has to do with the operation of the action. It was by no means overwhelming, just more than anticipated.
Some of the controls were a bit stiffer than I expected, requiring a very deliberate effort. I also found myself smacking my left hand with the charging handle when dropping the bolt. This could be easily remedied by swapping it to the right if you prefer. The safety was a touch janky and stiff. I would change that if possible.
Assuming they cycle, semi-automatic shotguns churn beautifully through box after box of ammo. And the TT-12 PRO cycles. The only malfunctions we experienced occurred when dropping a single shell into the open bolt and pressing the bolt-release. Sometimes the front end of the shell would hang up on the breech of the chamber. This never happened when feeding from the magazine.
I’m slightly concerned with the polymer lower receiver. I know there are plenty of them out there, but I am still uneasy about it. All of the major function takes place in the upper receiver, but there are a few things like a poly feed ramp that, if broken, would cause mayhem.
With AR-style controls and handling characteristics, you can probably imagine what this shotgun is like. Grip angle and handling are excellent with all the controls right where you’d expect them to be. Not only that, but the controls are also ambidextrous for those that want them. The smooth handguard is comfortable and not likely to hang up on anything while maneuvering. It also features M-Lok slots that you can attach your accessories to.
Shotguns are more about patterns than accuracy and patterns depend on what choke you put in the gun. Learning to lead moving targets and bracket them where you anticipate your shot pattern is what makes shotgunning fun. The kids and I found ourselves hitting a surprising amount of targets early on. I’m unsure why, but shooting the Tokarev just felt natural, and that made it incredibly fun to shoot.
The MSRP of the TT-12 PRO is a mere $399, but it can be found all over the internet for under $250. With a price like that, I think the TT-12 is a good buy. It may not win any beauty competitions or be popular with the gents a the sporting clays club, but it works well at putting shot in the air right where you want it.
For $250 I think it can certainly justify its place in my safe.
Pros and Cons
| Very affordable | Hit every branch falling from the Strike Industries tree |
| Fun to shoot | Magazine doesn’t free-fall |
| AR-15 ergonomics and controls | Heavier than traditional sport shotguns |
| Reliable cycling | |
| Comes with a choke set | |
| Compatible with popular magazines | |
| Built with the competitor in mind |
When these first AR style shotguns started showing up, I was quick to discount them as something I wouldn’t like, but as it’s turned out, I like them more than I thought I would. I’m not going to get rid of my other auto-loaders in favor of this one, but it will fill a spot I didn’t know I needed.
The Tokarev TT-12 PRO gives functional performance at a low cost, with all kinds of room for adapting your favorite accessories. And as somewhat of a traditionalist when it comes to shotguns, it opened my eyes a little to what could be. If you get a chance to shoot one of these, don’t pass it up. You may find it you like it, too.
Specifications: Tokarev TT-12 PRO Shotgun
- Caliber: 12 gauge (2¾ and 3-inch shells)
- Action: Gas piston operated semi-auto
- Capacity: 5+1 (Comes with one 5-round magazine)
- Barrel Length: 18.5 inches
- Overall Length: 38 inches
- Height: 9 inches
- Weight: 8.6 pounds
- Chokes: Benelli Mobil Choke
- Sights: Adjustable polymer M4 style over Picatinny rail
- MSRP: $399
Get the thumbs up from Travis Pike on this, and I might consider it.
His reviews of Turkish shotguns have been- enlightening, to say the least.