GUN TESTS GRADE: A (OUR PICK)

$895

This was a recent price at Ocala-Armory.com, but it is currently listed as out of stock. The Toros Copolla T4 is a recent introduction. There is no mistaking the T4’s design and manufacture and the shotgun the T4 is modeled after. The Toros Copolla T4 is manufactured in Turkey and is a copy of the Benelli M4. The Toros is such a close copy the company guarantees that all parts were interchangeable. The telescoping stock variant is similar to the Benelli but not an exact copy due to a patent on the Benelli stock design.

Following the route of adopting the features and design of a proven shotgun simplifies many problems. We have previously tested the Benelli shotgun and found it to be a reliable shotgun. The primary drawback of the Benelli is price. At $1500 to $2000 dollars, the Benelli is more expensive than what most shooters want to pay. The Toros Copolla T4, at $895 retail, is not cheap, but it is affordable considering the Benelli design. As we tested the T4 shotgun, we had in mind primarily the comparison to the other two shotguns used during this test but also to determine if the Toros Copolla T4 performed in a comparable manner to the Benelli M4 recently tested.

The Benelli M4 was developed for a U.S. military specification. The shotgun is gas operated. The system developed for the Benelli M4 is known as the A.R.G.O. system. This gas operation uses two gas pistons and is clean and reliable with a wide range of shells. The Toros Copolla system is an exact replica of the A.R.G.O., as far as we can gauge. Some firearms are a close copy; this one is exact. The Toros Copolla T4 offers Benelli-level performance at about half the price. The shotgun may be chosen for personal defense, our main concern, or 3-Gun competition. With the three choke tubes supplied, the shotgun may even have some sporting value. The fit and finish were comparable to the Benelli. Our version featured a pistol grip and solid stock.

The shotgun is built around a five-shell tubular magazine. Field-stripping is simple enough; simply remove the end cap for the magazine tube and pull the barrel off. Further stripping isn’t needed for normal maintenance. The gas system is attached to the barrel. Be certain to study how the two-piece forend goes together because it may be difficult to replace otherwise. The forend pieces were marked right and left.

In comparison to the Panzer Arms shotgun, when the T4 runs dry, a single shell may be quickly dropped into the chamber without moving the shotgun from the shoulder. Also, the shotgun may be topped off a shell or two at a time, something not really practical with a magazine-fed scattergun. The T4 featured a large cocking handle that makes racking the bolt positive in operation, even with gloved hands. As far as gloved hands go, the T4 featured an enlarged trigger guard, which may be seen as an improvement over the Benelli M4. The safety is located in the trigger guard behind the trigger. This crossbolt safety is positive in operation.

The shotgun featured an enlarged loading port underneath. Loading is positive and smooth in operation. The shotgun featured well-designed aperture sights. The front post is easily changed to add a tritium post, if desired. A rail for mounting red dots or other optics is standard with the T4 shotgun.

A good feature of the T4 shotgun is the trigger action. The action is tight and resets rapidly. A light trigger isn’t desirable on a shotgun because recoil is heavy and may cause the shooter to double the trigger or press the trigger twice when he doesn’t mean to. The Toros Copolla T4 trigger, at 5.5 pounds on the RCBS trigger-pull gauge, is about ideal for a combat shotgun given the quality of the trigger on our shotgun.

We tested all three scatterguns with the same shotgun shells. Because buckshot comes in five- and ten-shell boxes, we used a variety of shells. We planned on using 50 shells in each shotgun, although more were on hand in case of malfunction. We used Fiocchi #00 buckshot, Remington #4 Managed Recoil buckshot, Federal #00 Short Magnum, a 12-pellet load, and also the Federal Tru Ball Slug. The Toros, a new and untested shotgun, never failed to feed, chamber, fire or eject with any of these loads. Because we had had to add Remington #00 buckshot to the Panzer Arms testing, the Toros Copolla M4 was also tested with these loads. Function continued. Sixty shells were fired without any type of malfunction.

The shotgun came on target quickly and handled well. A combination of the shotgun’s gas system and weight resulted in modest recoil compared to the other two shotguns. The T4 cycled quickly, making for excellent control. After considerable handling and firing, we like the Toros Copolla T4. Compared to a Benelli M4, the shotgun is at least in the same league. The trigger was actually nicer than the Benelli M4 previously tested and 1.5 pounds lighter. The T4 also featured a slightly enlarged trigger guard compared to the Benelli. We like its handling much better than the Panzer Arms BP-12, and there is no comparison in its reliability with a variety of shells compared to the BP-12. The T4 is the most expensive shotgun tested, but the performance cannot be faulted. There were no demerits to the shotgun.

Our Team Said: The Toros Copolla T4 offered Benelli-like performance. We found no area in which the T4 fell short of the performance of Benelli shotguns previously tested. You may even find an advantage because the Toros Copolla T4 featured an enlarged trigger guard for gloved-hand use. The sights line up naturally, the trigger action is good, and the shotgun’s reliability is faultless. An optic may easily be mounted if desired. If price were no object, this would be Our Pick.