Inertia-driven shotguns are reliable, lightweight, and easy to maintain, which is why so many hunters select the platform when buying a new semi-automatic shotgun. Retay has built upon these three hallmarks of inertia shotguns by outfitting its auto-loaders and pumps with standard features other gun manufacturers simply don’t offer.
For instance, Retay deep bore drills its barrels from a solid bar of 4140 steel rather than hammer-forging them, which puts added stress on the barrel. Hammer-forged barrels are built by threading a short, thick steel rod onto a mandrel and hammering on the steel until the barrel is shaped.
Deep bore drilling is a far more modern (and expensive) process that does not compromise the integrity of the barrel, creating a robust, more accurate shotgun. Retay does not cryogenically treat its barrels either. The crio process is used to return some of the strength to hammer-forged barrels but is unnecessary for deep-bore drilled barrels.
“To deep bore drill our barrels, we cut a tube of bar stock to the final length of the barrel,” said Chirs Handy, Chief Executive at Retay USA. “The bar stock is placed on a lathe and manually drilled through the center of the bar to create the bore. We don’t manipulate the original molecules of the bar stock. The material retains the structural integrity intended by the foundry.”
Aftermarket upgrades to shotguns have become extremely popular, especially among duck hunters. Lengthened forcing cones inside the bore is the No. 1 modification waterfowlers are after because it results in improved pattern density downrange. Retay offers this as a standard feature in all of its shotguns. There is no need to spend extra cash on this upgrade once you buy from Retay.
One of the biggest complaints about inertia-driven shotguns from hunters is their propensity to fail when the shotshell is not loaded properly into battery. The rotating bolt head of the action doesn’t always chamber the shotshell, resulting in the notorious “click” of the firing pin moving forward when the trigger is pulled but not connecting with the shotshell’s primer.
Retay has addressed this problem with its Inertia-Plus system, which uses an internal torsion spring that always rotates the bolt, delivering the shotshell into battery. The system promotes a quiet lockup of the bolt to the shotshell (every turkey hunter will appreciate that). More importantly, it means there will never be another missed shot opportunity.
Retay’s Masai Mara shotgun also has a “Two Second” removable trigger group. Push a button and you can remove the trigger group from the gun. There’s no need to tap out any steel pins that hold trigger groups in place. A clever magazine unloading system allows the shooter to empty shells quickly, without cycling the bolt. Clear the chamber like you would any semi-auto, turn the shotgun upside down, and push the front of the feed ramp toward the chamber to expose the back of the shell in the magazine. Then, just pull the bolt release outward from the receiver—the shell slides onto the bottom of the feed ramp.
“So many hunters buy a shotgun and then have to ship it off to a gunsmith for aftermarket modifications to optimize its performance,” Handy said. “At Retay, we do all of that at the factory. Our lengthened forcing cones optimize pattern density to put over 20% more pellets in the kill zone than the competition. You also won’t find any plastic components in our receivers. Most of our competitors can’t say that. And, to me, that’s a big deal. Because when you spend $1,300 on a shotgun ($1299 for the Masai Mara 12ga 3.5″ and 20ga in black and $1399 in camo) you should get what you pay for.
“If you buy a Retay you are getting a premium shotgun at a reasonable price.”