John McDougall enjoys a value-for-money Turkish delight
The plethora of good quality guns from Turkey to be found on the Australian market these days, is testament to the standards their manufacturers have achieved in both design and production. From high-grade to lower-end guns, all seem to be well made and built for longevity. The first Turkish gun I reviewed almost 20 years ago is still going strong, with parts for them readily available now production has been established and sales into Australia have increased.
I was introduced to Khan shotguns by a friend while watching an online presentation, and subsequently tracked down Australian distributor Grant Pavia of The Shotgun Shop in Queensland. At the time he was travelling around Australia demonstrating various Khan models, and I was fortunate he’d planned a stop in my territory on Phillip Island where we put the Khan Settler 12-gauge Sporting model through its paces.
Barrels
Weighing 1.52lb (690g), the 30” (76cm) barrels of the Khan Settler are impeccably finished in a deep, lustrous black blueing which complements the black receiver. A tapered, ventilated top rib adorns the barrels, while a red translucent fibre optic sight is located at the muzzle. There’s also a brass mid-sight to avoid canting of the barrels when the gun is mounted.
Ventilated side ribs are installed to keep the barrels light and lively, as well as assisting with cooling when shooting becomes fast and furious. At the chamber end the selective ejectors are basic in design but highly functional. They’re jewel polished to maintain light lubricants and timed to perfection, throwing fired shells well clear of the breech while raising unfired cartridges slightly for easy removal.
Chambered for 3” (76mm) cartridges the Khan Settler can also double as a field gun for rabbits, hares, ducks and geese. Despite a comfortable recoil pad being fitted to this one, due to its Iight weight I’d be reluctant to shoot heavier field loads, especially hyper velocity steel in pursuit of game. Even though the gun’s built to handle such loads, I prefer to avoid such heavy recoil.
Receiver
Although basic, the receiver design and finish are quite stylish in black with a contrasting red stripe. The top lever is ergonomically designed for positive ease of operation, while the safety catch/barrel selector is fitted as one to the top rearward tang of the receiver. Being a bifurcated barrel and action, the trunnions on which the barrels rotate are replaceable should this ever be required.
Design of the trigger guard is a little smaller than I’ve come to expect, so those who opt for thin leather shooting gloves would just be accommodated. The trigger foot is non-adjustable but generous in size, providing plenty of comfort. Trigger releases were measured at 4lb (1.8kg) for the under barrel and 4lb 4oz (1.9kg) for the over with both being fairly crisp, manageable, comfortable and safe.
The trigger system is mechanically activated and doesn’t require the inertia from recoil of firing the first barrel to activate the second. This is a bonus as regardless of the first barrel not discharging for whatever reason, you can be confident of a second shot in reserve, handy when hunting so no opportunities go abegging.
Stock and fore-end
These are a perfect match in Turkish walnut with regard to grain and colour. Checkering is obviously laser cut and very generous over both the fore-end and pistol grip, with lines running at 20 per inch on both. Design of the stock is brilliant with a nicely formed pistol grip for good gun control, adjustable comb for perfect fit and recoil pad for those heavier field loads of steel shot, as mentioned.
Over the Traps
The Khan Settler, while a comparatively lightweight shotgun, balanced nicely and with an Improved Cylinder and Modified selection of choke tubes installed, performed reasonably well on both distant and close-in targets. The chokes seemed very even in their patterns as targets were completely destroyed. Grant explained they’re identical to a Mobil choke from a very well-known Italian manufacturer, except they have an extended collar and are colour-coded. The day was a little bleak and windy so targets were quite testing. I can’t claim to have shot a possible score from two rounds of 25 targets, though I can say every target on the layout was smashed over the two rounds shot.
The mid-bead was a great help when shooting from the shoulder, as I hadn’t altered the adjustable comb for perfect fit. The gun was also a little shorter in the stock than what I normally shoot, but again acquitted itself well with the chokes selected. I used a mixture of Cheddite shells and some Turkish ones Grant had imported and was suitably impressed with the gun, especially as an entry-level sporting shotgun for beginners. Trigger weights were reasonable and the gun balanced and swung well.
In summary, I highly recommend the Khan Settler as a first option for newcomers to the sport. Alternatively, it could easily double as a ‘duck’ gun, as the chokes and barrels are suited to firing steel shot loads with choke constrictions no greater than half of modified.
With a full set of five extended chokes, choke spanner and extensive instruction booklet all packed into an ABS plastic case, along with a two-year warranty and all spare parts available from The Shotgun Shop, for around $1850 the Khan Settler Sporting 12-gauge represents above-average value these days.
SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Khan Arms, Turkey
Distributor: The Shotgun Shop, Brisbane
Overall length: 1.20m (47”)
Overall weight: 3.3kg (7lb 4oz)
Barrel length: 76cm (30”)
Barrel weight: 1.52kg (3.05lb)
Chamber: 76mm (3”)
Bore size: Under 0.730”, over 0.727”
Gauge: 12-gauge
Case: ABS plastic
Instruction booklet: Comprehensive
Warranty: Two years
Price: Cased with all accessories about $1850