20ga Tar-Hunt Mountaineer Rifled Shotgun

The barreled action is a limited edition 20ga Tar-Hunt Mountaineer. The standard stock was upgraded at the purchasers individual request from the standard McMillan stock to a Bansner’s Ultimate, Hi-Tech Specialties, Ultra-lightweight stock.

This gun is number 8 of 25 from the Tar-Hunt limited edition “Millenium - 10 year Anniversary Series”. (The series consists of 25 guns). As part of this limited edition run the gun also features the upgraded Rogard NP-3 Nickel/Teflon finish on all metal parts, as well as the optional Jewel trigger.

The original cost of the gun, as custom built by Randy Fritz for the original owner, was approximately $4,000, (I purchased the gun from the original owner in like new condition at a significant discount).

The scope is a Leupold VX-II 3-9x33 ultra-lightweight mounted in Talley lightweight rings.

The entire gun with scope and rings weights only approximately 6 ½ lbs likely making it the lightest custom 20ga bolt action in the world.

JC

Very nice piece. Both my hunting companions shoot Tar-Hunts when we hunt the NE or Mid-west shotgun-restricted areas. It's really a 20ga rifle, for sure.

How is the accuracy?

quote:

Originally posted by StormsGSP:
How is the accuracy?

This particular TH was finicky, (the stock most likely), and average 3" groups or so. My other Tar-Hunt is more accurate averaging closer to 2" with many groups better, and some groups much better.

Needless to say...I kept the more accurate one and sold this one. (For just slightly more than I paid for it.)

JC

I have tried to get in contact with them several times and can't get a response from them by phone or e mail.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdoggy700:
I have tried to get in contact with them several times

BigDoggy,

Are you refering to Randy Fritz, (Tar-Hunt)?

JC

I tried to get a hold of them on their web site and never got a response.

Big Doggy,
I had the same experience with Banser. Never got a call back or email reply. Guess they need other people's more than mine.

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
I had the same experience with Banser. Never got a call back or email reply. Guess they need other people's more than mine.

Dogcat,

Sorry to hear about your experience with Mark. However, I can tell you that every time I called or emailed Mark, or anyone else in his shop, I have received not only an immediate reply, but also a thorough and friendly response to any questions I asked.

If you are serious about purchasing a Bansner rifle pick up the phone and try calling him again. I guarantee you he or one of his gunsmiths will respond to your inquiry.

JC

quote:

Originally posted by bigdoggy700:
I tried to get a hold of them on their web site and never got a response.

BigDoggy,

Last I had heard from Randy, (about a year and change ago), I believe he had recieved a military contract to produce sniper rifles. While he implied to others that he still intended to produce more Tar-Hunt RSG's, at some possible time in the future, it was my understand that he had no specific plans to do so. Stated more clearly, in my personal view, for all intents and purposes he is no longer making the RSG's at this time.

In any case, I have PM'ed you the email adress that I used to use to communicate with him in case you want to try contacting him at that email adress.

JC

He may have gotten out at the right time. Back when Tar-Hunt started making bolt-action "rifles" for rifled slugs, there really wasn't any competition. As more and more states or counties became "shotgun only" for deer, people that were stuck with Rem 870s and the like were willing to invest more money in their primary hunting weapon, and Tar-Hunt could get the $2,000-$3,000 they charged for their guns. Look what happened to the prices of used rifled-barrel A-Bolts..a $550 shotgun that could now fetch over $2,000. But now that Savage, Marlin and others are in the market, with enhancements like the Accu-trigger, porting, and the like, there are other alternatives to the Tar-Hunt guns at a fraction of the cost. Both my hunting companions have Tar-Hunt 12ga guns costing well over $2,000, and I can out-shoot either one with a $475 used Ithaca Deerslayer III with the barrel threaded to the receiver, to which I did some trigger work, muzzle recrown, and load development. I was never impressed with the accuracy of the Tar-Hunts, and their reliance on Lightfield ammunition.