Redfield Vector

The Redfield Vector is a 12-gauge, inertia-driven semi-auto built first and foremost as a hunting gun, sold exclusively through Academy Sports. At $449, it sits well below where we'd normally expect a semi-auto to be worth your time, but is it?

• MSRP: $449
• Operation: Inertia-driven
• Available Gauges: 12 gauge only
• Barrel Length Options: 28 in.
• Chamber Size: 3 in. (manual references a possible 3.5 in. model)
• Weight: 7 lb. 1 oz. (measured)
• Length of Pull: 14 3/8 in. (measured); manual lists 14.76 in.
• Stock: Shim-adjustable drop and cast (no length-of-pull adjustment found)
• Trigger: Single trigger, measured ~4 lb. 13 oz. pull
• Chokes: Five flush-fit chokes (Cylinder, IC, Modified, IM, Full)
• Extras: Drilled and tapped receiver (optics-ready), stepped vented rib, brass mid-bead with fiber-optic front bead, deep bore drilled barrel, Mossy Oak Bottomlands camo

Ergonomics

Let's start at the back. The butt pad has a proprietary shape, which means you can't slap an aftermarket pad on there without buying Redfield's own. We're not in love with that, especially since we like to knock recoil down wherever we can (with our favorite FalconStrikes!)

Moving forward, you get Mossy Oak Bottomlands camo on the stock and fore-end with some light stippling texture. It's not aggressive at all, and while we could see our hands slipping a touch, it feels good where it counts. The grip angle is decent, though we do rub the side of the receiver a bit reaching for the trigger.

The crossbolt safety sits behind the trigger. The receiver is plain black, but here's the kicker: it comes drilled and tapped for optics. At this price point, a gun showing up ready for a red dot is pretty darn cool.

The bolt release is a simple circular button, not too easy to hit and not too hard. The bolt handle is basic, nothing oversized. The loading port is only slightly milled, and we'll be honest, we wish it opened up a little higher. Running shells in there had our thumb getting chewed up just a bit.

Up front, the barrel wears a stepped, vented rib. You get a brass mid-bead and a small front bead, and the barrel is deep-bore drilled. The Vector is decently balanced, and it comes together nicely in the hands.

Recoil and Reliability

We weighed it at 7 lb. 1 oz. On the range, we started with ounce-and-an-eighth target loads at 1,200 feet per second to get a read on recoil. We'd call it moderate. Not the lightest-shooting gun out there, not punishing either, and being inertia driven it does carry a little more wallop than a gas gun.

Now, reliability. We shot about a box and a half off camera with no trouble, then the second the cameras came on, we had a malfunction. Over the session, we caught a couple more hiccups, including a no-primer-strike on a follow-up shot. A few little gremlins, but nothing we'd call major.

Then we stepped up to the heavy stuff. Federal Black Cloud 3-inch waterfowl loads actually didn't feel too bad, even when shooting pairs. Federal Prairie Storm pheasant loads at 1,550 feet per second were a different story, and running those in pairs gave the shoulder a real "workout".

Out in the field hunting doves with light loads, it ran with only a few minor hiccups here and there. Bottom line, we found the Vector to be a fairly reliable gun, and for $449 the amount of value packed in here is honestly impressive.

Want even less recoil? We love the FalconStrike recoil reduction systems.

Breakdown / Quality of Build

The Vector is a true inertia gun, and we love how simple those are to break down. Pull the bolt handle, pop one pin, and the trigger group drops right out. Easy.

Here's the part that surprised us most: the barrel says Retay right on it, and that's who actually manufactures this gun. Yes, Retay comes out of Turkey, and yes, Turkish guns sometimes catch a bad rap because some are terrible, but Retay runs their own facility, and we've been genuinely impressed with their work.

So how does it look under the hood? Does it look like a $1,600 shotgun? No, and we're not going to pretend it does. But stacked against other sub-$1,000 semi-autos, the build actually looks really nice.

Shooting Experience

Let's talk about that trigger, because it caught us off guard. We figured a $449 gun would have a heavy, mushy pull, trigger as most cheap shotguns do. We put it on the scale and got 4 lb. 13 oz., twice. For a gun at this price, that's flat-out impressive, and it feels reasonably good with just a touch of pre-travel sponge.

Overall, we really liked how this gun moved, handled, and operated. It was a decent shooting experience but when you consider the price, it was a great shooting experience. We are still blown away that you can sell a semi-auto shotgun at this price point, and it isn't utter trash.

Where it really won us over was the field. Steve traveled down to Texas for some dove hunting, put several boxes through it, and even used it for some trick shots and competition against Martin from Duck Commander. Great trip, great group of people. The more I shot it, the more it grew on me.

Final Thoughts

Here's where we land. For $449, we walked in expecting trash, and the Vector blew right past that bar. It's a halfway decent shotgun by any honest measure, and an excellent one for the money.

It's not the gun we'd reach for to run fast splits or for fancy features, but as a do-it-all budget hunting gun, it packs a ton of value. Shout out to Redfield, Academy, and Retay for putting this package together.

What do you think about the Vector? Share your thoughts in the TFL COMMUNITY!

Whether our targets in the field or our targets in life, we'll only hit what we're focused on — live the #targetfocusedlife