There are a lot of reviews on the UTAS UTS-15, but very few about the Hunting version as it is used for hunting. Because I believe there are many great reviews on this shotgun, I will only focus on hunting. Wolverine Supplies and Kelly’s Sporting Goods, or Frontier Firearms, can help you find an uts shotgun here in Canada.
Gun manufacturers are guilty of releasing products earlier than they’re ready, effectively allowing consumers to “beta-test” the products. Some manufacturers can release products faster with great support or a warranty. The bad reputation they create by releasing products too early is what I believe they lose. Products that experienced early teething issues include the Remington R51, Savage B.Mag, and other new entrants. The UTS-15 has a bad reputation for reliability, but the Gen 1 versions have that reputation.
Although pump-action shotguns are said to be highly reliable, this shotgun is far more complicated than a non-bullpup, standard shotgun. Many things could go wrong. The UTAS UTS-15 is now in its third generation, and the company has made some improvements. Although I did witness some issues with the shotgun’s ejection, none were caused by me. I eject the gun with a quick back-and-forth action on my pump. This shotgun is not for everyone. Some people are okay with it, while others have issues. Your mileage will vary.
Beretta Choke Tubes are available for purchase at the cost of $22. This makes it possible to use the UTS-15 as a versatile hunting shotgun. UTAS sells a 7-inch barrel extension. However, I don’t know why you would want it. The whole point of a bullpup firearm should be compactness. You may need to make long magazine tube plugs for hunting shotguns. This depends on the hunting regulations. Hunting regulations may make hunting with this shotgun more complicated than necessary by restricting shots, but it is at least compact.
As I mentioned above, this shotgun is much more expensive than regular pump actions and more complicated. It requires more training for experienced shooters and a steeper learning curve. In exchange for the complexity and high cost, there is a smaller design, a higher round capacity, and more flexibility in shot selection. AR-style ergonomics offer minor benefits in grip and safety, as well as a long Picatinny line and straight-back recoil.
Strangely, they included a bolt dust cover when magazine tubes were still open. Any significant exposure to dust, dirt, or mud will cause damage to the lines. It can also jam up the feeding path and chamber. On the other side, Bolt is a beast that will likely shrug off the elements. The dust cover rattles quite, and I wouldn’t say I like banging on hunting firearms. Regular shotguns can live without dust covers, so why not add one?
It is also quite odd that the fire-control group has a different name. The firing pin is prevented from being hit if the firing pin is not in the correct orientation. This works well, but I prefer a gun that stops the hammer from dropping until the Bolt is in the correct position. This way, the action doesn’t need to be cocked if the trigger is pulled too quickly while pushing the pump forward. Inconveniently, the action (pump release) is located at the rear under the buttstock.