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SPAS-12
Model: Franchi SPAS-12One of the most famous shotguns in the world, the SPAS-12 is surprisingly difficult to find. The SPAS-12 was produced from 1979 to 2000 by the Italian Franchi S.p.A. company as a combat shotgun. The SPAS-12 is unique in its ability to be switched between pump action and semi-automatic, allowing for semi-auto firing while also feeding shells too low in power to work the action. Other unique features include a magazine cutoff that can be activated to block the chamber from the magazine, allowing for specialized rounds to be loaded through the ejection port easily and an optional arm hook on the folding stock to allow one-handed firing by a strong user. The SPAS-12 can be found with a folding stock or fixed stock, with detachable wooden stocks being rare.
Unfortunately, the Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun was ironically found to have a "lack of sporting purpose" and an intimidating appearence, resulting in it being banned from importation into the United States in 1989. It has still sold well to military and police units around the world, including American SWAT teams.
| Specifications: | |
| Weight: | 4.4 kg (9.7 lb) |
| Length: | 1041 mm (41 in), stock extended |
| Barrel Length: | 546 mm (22 in) |
| Cartridge: | 12 gauge (2 3/4 inch shells) |
| Action: | Pump-action/gas-operated |
| Muzzle Velocity: | XX ft/s (XX m/s). |
| Effective Range: | XXX yd (XXX m). |
| Feed System: | Tubular underbarrel magazine. 8 rounds |
| Sights: | Front post and flip-up rear sight (shot and slug apertures) |
Where to find
Due to the import ban, real SPAS-12 shotguns can run $4000-5000, making them expensive and very difficult to find. Occasionally used guns can be found for as low as $1250, but they rarely go so low.
Complexity
The SPAS-12 was designed as a combat shotgun, making it generally very reliable and rugged. The ability to switch to pump-action allows for it to fire low-pressure rounds like tear gas and beanbag rounds without the weapon jamming or being difficult to use.
Controls
- Safety: Located in front of the trigger guard. Push from right to left for FIRE, left to right for SAFE.
- Quick employment safety: Located inside the trigger guard in front of the trigger. Push forward for FIRE, back for SAFE.
- Carrier latch button: Located on the left side of the receiver. When pushed, closes the bolt.
- Charging handle: Located on the right side of the upper receiver.
- Magazine cutoff button: Located just behind the vent holes on the receiver on the right side of the gun. When pressed, no shells from the magazine will load into the chamber.
- Fire selector: Located on the bottom of the forend. Push it in and slide the forend back so that it is lined up with the M for pump and A for semi-auto.
Loading
Condition One, or "Locked and Cocked." Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer cocked and safety applied.
- Point the weapon in a safe direction. Critical step in case it accidentally discharges!
- Pull the forend back if in pump-action or charging handle back if in semi-auto to expose the chamber. Take a single shell and place it into the chamber through the ejection port.
- Either push the forend back or pull the charging handle slightly back and release it to load the chamber.
- Load shells through the loading gate in front of the trigger guard until the magazine is full.
- Push the safety from left to right to activate it. Optionally push the quick employment safety back to activate it.
- Cannot be done.
Condition Three. Chamber empty, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
- Point the weapon in a safe direction. Critical step in case it accidentally discharges!
- Load shells through the loading gate in front of the trigger guard until the magazine is full.
Unloading
How to unload the firearm and make safe. Presented in a numbered list.
- Point the weapon in a safe direction. Critical step in case it accidentally discharges!
- Push the magazine cutoff button until it catches. Push the quick employment safety back to activate it.
- Slide the forend or charging handle back to eject the shell in the chamber. Press the carrier latch button to close the bolt.
- Press the magazine shell latch with your finger and allow the shells to slip out of the magazine one by one.
- Deactivate the quick employment safety.
- Pull the trigger.
Field Stripping
How to disassemble the firearm for cleaning. Presented in a numbered list.
- Point the weapon in a safe direction. Critical step in case it accidentally discharges!
- Unload the weapon as described above. Pull the bolt back so that it is open.
- Unscrew the magazine extension and remove the magazine spring.
- Pull the barrel and forend assembly forward off the receiver.
- GENTLY close the bolt by pulling the charging handle back and riding it forward slowly.
- Slightly compress the action spring in front of the receiver and line up the charging handle with its slot in the breech block. Pull out the charging handle out while slowly extending the action spring.
- Slide the piston, cocking slide, spring, and bolt assembly out the front of the receiver.
- Use a punch to remove the trigger assembly retaining pins and remove the trigger assembly.
chitoryu12 |
Latest page update: made by chitoryu12
, Mar 1 2011, 7:33 PM EST
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| GunReaper | Fun to Shoot | 0 | Mar 2 2011, 5:17 AM EST by GunReaper | ||
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Thread started: Mar 2 2011, 5:17 AM EST
Watch
This gun is fun to shoot on semi-auto and has surprisingly low recoil for a 12 gauge with a metal stock., but the only low brass shells I've found that will cycle on semi-auto are the Remington Nitro Sporting Clay shells. They can sometimes be hard to find at my local stores.
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