Enter to win this iconic SPAS-12!
https://www.fanathem.com/forgottenweapons
Deadline to enter is 11/22/24 @11:59 PM PST
Franchi introduced the Special Purpose Automatic Shotgun (SPAS-12) for Italian military and police agencies in 1979 and it quickly because popular worldwide. Based originally on the gas-operated Franchi 500, that SPAS-12 was robust, reliable, and designed as a semiautomatic action with a backup pump action operation for use with underpowered ammunition (like beanbags or other less-lethal loads). In 1982 they began to be imported into the US through FIE, which was replaced by AAI as the importer in 1989. Eventually the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban ended SPAS-12 importation, and Franchi discontinued the model in 2000 in favor of the improved SPAS-15.
The SPAS-12 was almost always sold with a 21.5 inch barrel and 8-round magazine tube. It was available with either a solid sock or a top-folding type, complete with arm brace hook for shooting one-handed from a vehicle. In total, between 45,000 and 50,000 were made between 1979 and 2000, with the largest single purchaser being the Egyptian government (which took 18,000 of them).
Full video on the SPAS 15:
Gawd when I got to my NG unit after Active Duty 2 things happened. I saw a magazine called “New Breed” with some dork posing with the SPAS-12.
Next morning met my PL, he was the dork holding it on the cover.
the things almost as big as an M-60
Terrible Hollywood weapon. Huge, heavy, hugely over complicated mechanically, and hugely over complicated manual of arms. Oh, and, as Ian says, a big safety issue, at least early on. The stock is uncomfortable. The hook thing is beyond pointless. I blame Arnie S for this being a “remembered weapon”.
Certainly it is iconic!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRJxNpPj6Zc&t=1s
https://terminator.fandom.com/wiki/SPAS-12
https://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Franchi_SPAS-12
Ive had a few over the years. Good trade fodder and very popular as collectors for some reason.
I had one, gotten from a friend (retired sheriff’s deputy).
Uncomfortable stock, gas system indecently sensitive to ammunition types, pump-action system didn’t always want to work, and let’s not get into its wonky double-M1 (Garand and Carbine) safety system, both of which had to be set just exactly right for it to fire.
By the time you got it going in an IA, you’d be dead.
I sold it to a collector for about three times what it cost me. I also told him that if he wanted a shotgun for actual defensive use, a Remington 870 SP Deer 12-gauge went for about $200 used back then, and actually worked.
clear ether
eon
I got an ex-Pontiac, MI PD S&W/ Howa 3000 squad car cruiser 12-ga. for precisely $200 “back then.” I’ve since picked up a rifle-sighted barrel for it. Basically a copy of the old Remington 870, which I’ve also got, albeit for a much higher price.
solid sock would be an awesome metal band
to be fair – that atrocious stock makes more sense when the intended user wears a heavy armor with bulletproof visor on the helmet. This often interferes with regular stocks.
Suprisingly low number made for pop culturally very popular gun.
18,000 to Egypt eh; well looking at what happened there with the “Arab spring” perhaps they do “Work” ha, charmimg.