When it comes to the cool factor, few guns have the swagger of the SPAS-12. This intimidating 12-gauge hit the scene all the way back in 1979 and has been iconic since then. Much to the surprise of many, this tactical fighter was manufactured by Franchi. While better known for their hunting and sporting shotguns, the SPAS-12 proved to be a great success for them. Production ended on this classic in 2000, and now it is mostly a memory. For those of you unfamiliar with this shotgun, it’s time to take a closer look at what you missed.
SPAS-12 – Cool Meets Function
The SPAS-12 is a dual-mode shotgun, adjustable for semi-automatic or pump-action operation. The idea was for it to run essentially any ammo at all. Load too light? Move to pump action. Need super speed, then go semi-auto. Over 21 years, the SPAS-12 was sold to military and police users worldwide, as well as on the civilian market.
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The appearance and intended purpose of the SPAS-12 initially led to its “military” designation as a combat shotgun. The SPAS-12 was designed from the ground up as a rugged military shotgun, and it was named the Special Purpose Automatic Shotgun. In 1990, Franchi renamed the shotgun the Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun, which allowed continued sales to the United States as a limited-magazine-capacity, fixed-stock model until 1994.
Federal Assault Weapons Ban
Following the United States Federal Assault Weapons Ban, imports of SPAS-12 shotguns to the United States were stopped. In September 2004, the ban expired, but Franchi ended production of the SPAS-12 in 2000 to focus on the manufacturing of the SPAS-15.
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The SPAS-12 was designed to function primarily in semi-automatic mode, with the pump-action mode used to reliably fire low-pressure ammunition such as tear gas rounds or less-lethal bean bags. The firing mode is switched by depressing the button under the fore-grip and also sliding it forwards or backwards until it clicks into position, allowing the rotating sleeve to open or close the two gas ports.
Two Modes
The semi-automatic mode functions with a short-stroke gas piston system. When a shell is fired, the pressure makes the bolt move rearward, but the bolt will stop before opening as it deploys a single top locking lug. The SPAS-12 has a magazine cut-off feature, which prevents the magazine from releasing a new round when the action is cycled. This allows the operator to load a different type of round into the chamber without first unloading the chambered round, and the second that would otherwise subsequently be released from the magazine.
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A unique feature of the folding-stock variants is the butt hook. With the stock extended, the hook can be pushed in and turned 90 degrees to the left or right to fit under the user’s forearm. This enables the shotgun to be fired with one hand. So, say you were repelling into a hostage situation, by design, you could fire the SPAS-12 one-handed.
SPAS-12
Was the gun perfect? No. It had some safety malfunction issues over the years, and the gas ports tended to get clogged, but the die-hard gun lover didn’t care. The SPAS-12 will always remain one of the coolest guns to hit the market.
SPAS-12 Specs
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| Caliber: | 12 Gauge (2¾” shells) |
| Action: | Gas-operated Semi-Automatic or Pump-Action |
| Capacity: | 8+1 rounds (tube magazine) |
| Barrel Length: | Common 21.5 inches (various lengths existed) |
| Overall Length: | Approx. 41 inches (stock extended) / 32.5 inches (stock folded) |
| Weight (empty): | 8.75 – 9.7 lbs |
| Sights: | Iron sights (blade front, rear ghost ring) |
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