SPAS 12 , The one and only !!!
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The Spas 12 is one of the most visual but most misunderstood shotguns of all times.[/B]..
I have owned one since the early 80s... It is very misunderstood... but if you study it, each part is designed for the military world not Civilian use. It is a tank... I have shot hundreds of rounds through this...low power, high power, whatever...It eats them all. 4+ rounds per second...fast...as one owner puts it...'hang it on a sling and walk through walls. " I must say, after all these years, I drag the thing out...run a box of buck through it...and still say..."Awesome!!"
Most of the negativity you hear about the Franchi Spas if from those who only causally picked one up and found out they could not figure out how to jack the slide back or those who have never shot one at all.
The complex parts of the weapon have special purposes...(see note from Chris's site)
This was taken from Chris's Site Spas12.com.. a world of knowledge about the shotgun.
"""Military shotguns are designed or adapted for use in the battlefield. They have the same basic needs as the Police, plus they are carried for miles, dragged around everywhere, hid with their user in ditches. If a battle takes place they may fire several dozen rounds, may be shot till their barrels start to glow. A good functional barrel heatshield is needed, not some simple after-thought clamped on deal that gets hot after 16 rounds. Military finishes like Parkerizing or phosphating are used vs. the high-tech black finishes on Police guns, bluing on Hunting guns.
The SPAS12 is an example of a Military shotgun. It has a heavy heat guard over areas of the gun likely to get hot during prolonged operation. It has a latch on the magazine loading door that keeps out rocks and such when crawling along in a trench with it. It has a "hook" on the end of the folding-stock that acts as a carry handle and a shooting support. It has a number of other special features that adapt it specifically for police and military use, such as a magazine cut-off button that stops feeding of shells from the magazine so that the slide may be opened without a new round coming out of the magazine. This could allow a special round to be manually inserted. """
Chris supplies the replacement buffers, gas rings, etc that will be needed if you own one...