If you’re into your firearms and don’t live in a cave, you’re almost certain to have heard about the popular 12 gauge AR15 style shotgun that is the Citadel Boss 25. At a little under 600 bucks, it’s not the cheapest semi-auto shotgun on the market, but what’s it like in person?
To find out, we got one sent to us by the lovely people at Citadel and we got to hold on in our hands. Here are just some of the facts that we uncovered.
The Boss 25 is Made in Turkey
The first thing we learnt – just by looking at the rifle – was that it’s manufactured in Central Europe in the nation of Turkey. While this might not be the first place you think of when considering AR15-style semi-automatic shotguns, the gun has a nice weight and feel in the hands.
From initial glances at the weapon, it was obvious that this is a shotgun with style. With the feel of an AR15, it’s got some cool credentials, so they’re going to sell quite a few in our opinion.
What Comes In the Box?
So, when opening up this Citadel shotgun, you get the gun itself – obviously – as well as 2x 5-round mags – although it does take a 10-round mag that’s sold separately. It also comes with a screw-in muzzle brake compensator, 3 chokes and a choke key.
Some other nice features attributed to the Citadel Boss 25 are:
- A cool adjustable cheek piece for a nice comfortable firing position
- A tough, black synthetic stock
- 18.75-inch chrome barrel
- Heat shielded barrel
- Iron sights, front & back
Something important to note is that the heat shielded barrel piece actually keeps the forward handgrip on, so if you’re taking it off, be careful when re-attaching it, as it can result in the front sight becoming misaligned.
It Weighs in at About 9lbs
You get quite a recoil with a shotgun, meaning that it needs to have an increased weight to handle it. This Citadel shotgun doesn’t disappoint in this regard, as it comes in at a meaty 9 pounds.
The Boss 25 also features a decent amount of railing, which offers the opportunity to add extra accessories, such as a flashlight, strap, tripod or whatever enhances your experience.
All in All, a Great, Cool-looking Shotgun
Are there cheaper shotguns on the market? Sure. Are there cooler shotguns on the market? Well, that’s a bit more difficult to answer, as this one’s AR-15 stylings are quite hard to resist and while we haven’t yet fired one in anger, the weight and build quality are reassuringly solid.
All in all, we have to say that this is an uber-cool weapon that’s ideal for home defence, hunting and a variety of other uses. What’s more, as it’s designed like an AR15, it makes it easier to use and reloading is that much quicker and smoother.
Is it a weapon we’d buy? Actually, we’ve just bought one, so yes it is! Is it a weapon we think is going to be around in 5 years’ time? Absolutely, yes.
