My take on Tristar S-120 (Pics Added)

[RandallG]

I haven't posted for a while but was prompted to by a new purchase of the Tristar S-120.
I picked it up at an Academy Sports a few weeks back based on some reviews I've seen online.
I have to let everyone know I've owed the real one, a pre-B CZ 75, A TZ-75, 2 Tanfoglio Witnesses so I know what to compare the handgun to.
IMO it's better than the CZ-75 I own, and the TZ 75 as well in the accuracy department.
Beats the Witnesses in the build department with a much tighter lock up, less tooling marks, better trigger out of the box.
It does however shoot low left as many have complained (with tight groups) so I will have to get some different sights.
I didn't like the factory "Cerakote" as it seemed just a little sloppy (possibly due to the wrong spray tip, blast media, contamination, or air cure vs thermal.
So I Cerakoted it Midnight Gray and re coated the barrel as well.
Drilled the hammer to look more like the CZ's with a round hole instead of the oblong one. Put some cocobolo grips on it and a slight trigger job.
All is all this is surely the best bang for the buck out of all the others I compared it to.

Pics to follow as my wife grabbed the good camera today.

Promised Pics:   





Drilled Hammer:

In The Sun:

[Farmerbob]

I have had my S-120 for about 6 months...about 500 rounds through it. I have never had a CZ, but I don't see how one could find a  better pistol for any money. Mine is the older pre-Tristar Canik version. It had the dolphin on the grips. I replaced them with Hogue wraparounds, a great improvement.  I agree entirely with your assessment. Mine also shot low and left. I adjusted the rear sight slightly for windage and filed the front sight slightly for elevation. Now it shoots very tight groups dead-on POA. Only have had one FTE from a low power reload...it sounded like a cap gun going off. I even checked the barrel to be sure that the lead made it out! I installed the CGW spring kit and did a light polish which greatly improved the trigger pull...DA now about 8.5 and SA 4.6. Nice gun all the way around!

[papershoot]

After a 6" S&W model 19, my S-120 is the most accurate centerfire pistol I own.  I also had the problem of shooting low with the factory sights.  I filed down the front sight until I had removed some of the white dot before I got it shooting POA.  I ended up installing Meprolight's night sight set 17777 for the full size CZ's.  That instal went well and gives me good results on paper.

[Farmerbob]

I painted the front sight fluorescent orange and the rear sight white. It was a great improvement and increased my accuracy significantly.

[RandallG]

Added Pics as promised.
Slide and frame are Midnight Gray (Sniper Gray with Graphite Black Cerakote)

[RandallG]

After a 6" S&W model 19, my S-120 is the most accurate centerfire pistol I own.  I also had the problem of shooting low with the factory sights.  I filed down the front sight until I had removed some of the white dot before I got it shooting POA.  I ended up installing Meprolight's night sight set 17777 for the full size CZ's.  That instal went well and gives me good results on paper.

Was yours shooting left as well?
Did this correct it?

[papershoot]

After a 6" S&W model 19, my S-120 is the most accurate centerfire pistol I own.  I also had the problem of shooting low with the factory sights.  I filed down the front sight until I had removed some of the white dot before I got it shooting POA.  I ended up installing Meprolight's night sight set 17777 for the full size CZ's.  That instal went well and gives me good results on paper.

Was yours shooting left as well?
Did this correct it?

Not that I could notice.  I am probably an inch or so right at 25 yards now, when I can hold steady enough to tell. I don't want to drift the rear sight again, since Loctite was applied.  I should have waited until I had shot the gun more. 

[jwc007]

Congratulations on your new Tristar S-120 and may it serve you well! 

Great Pics with very good photography! 

[badjuijui]

Great pics and sweet looking pistol.  Congrats.  I have my Canik S-120 on layaway till March 1 of next year.  Hoping to pay if off sooner, but here comes Christmas, so I have to back off on my pistol buying.  For a little bit.  Maybe. 

[Pageram]

Awesome looking gun! Love that finish.

[MI-CZ]

Nice. My L-120 beats my SP-01, love them both.

[mwj999]

That's one fine-looking pistol, RandallG. The only mod I've made to my S-120 is the Hogue wraparound stocks recommended by jwc007 on another thread. Haven't had a chance to get it to the range since, though. Mine shot to point of aim, or as close to point of aim as I ever get.

[wiseanhyzer]

Great job on the refinish and I really like how the hammer turned out.  Well done!

[RandallG]

Thanks for the compliments but I have to say Canik is the one that deserves most of the credit on this and of course CZ for the design.
I'll be setting up shop in a few months hopefully to Cerakote again full time (applying for ffl and have experience working at a shop as the  re-finishing guy... prior.
If anyone wants to know the mix it's 12-2   or 14 cc total (it's overkill but you don't want to dry spray during a shoot)
Graphite black 12 parts + Sniper Gray 2 parts
And 6/10 cc or ml of hardner.
I did some drills a few days ago without a malfunction with mixed ammo.
Well built handgun here. I think the hammer forged barrels are what may put them over the edge for accuracy.