The SPAS-12

kegs wrote:I like a gun that looks like it should be hanging in your closet next to your jacket.

Funny you should say that. When I had mine back in the 80's I didn't have a gun safe so I hung it by the hook in the closet. My house was broken into and they still found it. I did get it back. The ass hat sold it for $100, then traded another gun for a ride to his drug dealer in Dallas. The rest were recovered after a high speed chase from the dealer. They tossed a beautiful stainless finish 357 super mag out the window and scratched it all to hell as it slide down I-35.
I ended up putting it on a football pot to get rid of it. It sucked because I would have held on to it and it would be worth around 1200 today. Here is what it looked like before it was violated.

I like a gun that looks like it should be hanging in your closet next to your jacket.

Velociraptors are eating the bunnies that are eating my garden?
Then you need a SPAS-12

My ex-girlfriend is refusing to change her Facebook status about our relationship, so I need to travel back in time, eliminate her mother, and prevent her from being born?
Then you need a SPAS-12

I just want a bad ass shotgun.
Then you need a SPAS-12


I have had the opportunity to own two of these beasts. The first I purchased new in the mid 80’s. I think I paid around $700 out the door back then.  I eventually sold it and regretted doing so.

There are so many features to this gun, I heard it has a reputation for being complicated?
It’s not. Spend a little time with it and it becomes second nature.

One of the selling points of the SPAS-12 is the ability to change between semi-auto or pump action with the push of a button. There is also two safeties on the gun, one quick switch next the trigger guard, the other a paddle switch that was known to fail. This caused a recall, but in the early days of the internet, it was not widely known. My first SPAS-12 suffered this failure, while flipping the safety on, it fired. I never used it again, opting for the other safety. There is a magazine cut off, and the hook, which is usually missing. I liked my hook. The ideal behind it was you can hook it under your arm to support the weight and shoot it one handed. I prefer to use it when folded, as a grip for shooting from the hip.


Enough about how awesome it is. If it was that great, why don’t you see them everywhere?
The SPAS-12 was put on the Federal Assault Weapons ban in 1994. There are an estimated 1800 of these great guns shipped to the US before the ban. There are several configuration of the SPAS-12 but the most iconic and sought after version, comes with the folding stock, hook and high capacity magazine. These will hold 9 rounds of 2 ¾ 12 gauge.  After the ban the price for these guns went through the roof. Even models with the fixed stocks and smaller magazines still have asking prices, from $1100-$1200. The more sought after folding models range from $1500- $2200. I have talked with a collector that expects the asking price to climb to $3000 as more guns are sold off for parts.
They are not the prefect shotgun by any means. Benelli and others make guns with similar features, that don’t weigh a ton like the SPAS does. There were also other issues. The recoil buffers they used were crap. They disintegrated after a few years. If the owner, didn’t notice and continued to fire the gun in semi-auto, it would damage the receiver. This is how many of the parts guns came about.


You said you sold one of these, tell us about the other.
I ran across my second SPAS-12 a few years ago. It had issues, the recoil buffer was shot, but the receiver was good, the top latch for the folding stick, was missing the latch, and the stock buffer for the stock was missing. All of these parts can be found online so I was able to get the gun cheap ($550) and have it ready to run for another $75. It did have the paddle style safety, but I have swapped it for the upgrade safety. (Another story for another gun review)
As stated above, there are newer guns that aren’t finicky about the ammo you feed them. Don’t weigh too much, were your little pansy arms and still have parts, should you need to repair.
None look as bad ass as the SPAS-12.