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The SPAS-12 is a combat shotgun manufactured by Italian firearm company Franchi S.p.A..
Overview
The SPAS-12 was designed during the 1970s as a semi-automatic military or law enforcement shotgun, and production began in October 1979. In 1983, the gun was introduced to the United States, where it was marketed as a sporting shotgun to help bypass laws that would normally label it as illegal for civilian ownership. As a result, the SPAS acronym officially stands for "Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun". However, military-oriented features like a heavy heat shield for sustained fire increase the weight of the weapon to the point where it can become unwieldy for hunting or competition shooting. For this reason, there exist popular reinterpretations of the acronym, such as "Special Purpose Automatic Shotgun".
The SPAS-12 can function on two settings. The first is "automatic" (more accurately, self-loading semi-automatic) - the foregrip is locked forward and a gas system serves to load the next round without further effort from the operator. In automatic mode, the gun can expend around 4 rounds per second, one round per trigger pull. The second setting is pump-action - the foregrip must be manually pumped back and forth after every shot to eject the spent shell and load a new round from the internal magazine. This mode is required to reliably fire low-pressure ammunition such as tear gas rounds or less-lethal bean bags. Switching between firing modes is done by pressing a button under the foregrip, and sliding the foregrip slightly forwards or backwards until it clicks into position.
The SPAS-12 also has a magazine cut-off feature that, when activated, prevents the loading of a new round from the internal magazine when the slide is opened. This allows the operator to load a specialized round into the chamber without going through the entire magazine first. Early SPAS-12 models also featured a lever-type safety (pictured), but it tended to malfunction. This was later replaced by a push-button safety.
In recent years, US firearm laws have completely blocked the importation of the SPAS-12 shotgun, since it fits the profile of a military shotgun (an illegal destructive device). Re-sales and transfers within the country are relatively unobstructed in most states, but few SPAS-12s are moving across the border. Additionally, in 2000 Franchi has ceased production of the SPAS-12 altogether, and has since shifted its marketing focus towards the new SPAS-15. Due to these events, the SPAS-12 is now a collector's item both in the States and elsewhere.
Variants
The SPAS-12 comes with an optional folding stock, which can carry a large hook at the end for use as a carrying handle or for bracing the weapon while firing with one hand. Full stocks are also available, as are pump-mounted tactical flashlights and laser sights. Some versions of the SPAS-12 come with a shorter 5-round magazine instead of the usual 8-round magazine.
External links
Shotguns __NOTOC__
SPAS-12 | Franchi SPAS 12 | SPAS-12 | スパス12 | Strzelba Franchi SPAS 12
"Franchi SPAS-12"