Franchi SPAS-12 Shotgun Review

Shotguns are among the most distinguishable firearms around, and none may be as recognizable as the Franchi SPAS-12. Whether you know it from the Terminator or Jurassic Park movies or from pretty much any shooting game in the past thirty years, the SPAS-12 is one of the most well-known shotguns in the world. Originally, Franchi distributed the Spas-12 for military and law enforcement, but they eventually went on to offer it to civilian as a sporting weapon. Primarily designed for combat, it excelled as an anti-riot gun due to its rapid-fire, accessorizing ability, and capacity to fire non-lethal ammo.

Although the Spas-12 is still used around the world by military and police, it didn’t last long as a civilian weapon. Although quite intimidating, the Franchi shotgun proved to be too awkward to be a practical hunting or competition shotgun. Furthermore, the United States eventually banned the Spas-12 as a result of its “militaristic” design. This blow to Franchi’s sales in addition to its limited market prompted them to end production of the Spas-12 in 2000, ending its two-decade reign. However, its influence and notoriety carried on, especially after Franchi went on to craft the Spas-15, which we’ll get to later. In today’s Gunivore review, we’re going to be breaking down the historic Spas-12 and see how it became one of the most renowned shotguns in the world.

While you’re here, don’t forget to read up on the reemerging brand behind the Spas-12: The Franchi Firearms Company!

Spas-12 Specifications

Model: Franchi SPAS-12
Caliber: 12 Ga
Capacity: 8
Type: Semi-Automatic / Pump Action
Barrel Length: 21.5”
Overall Length: 40.98”
Weight (Unloaded): 9.7 lbs. (4.40 kg)
Sights: Iron Sights
Cost: Approximately $1,500

Spas-12 Build & Construction

Although the Franchi Special Purpose Automatic Shotgun (SPAS-12) was offered in several configurations, its basic design is immediately noticeable. The first thing most people spot on these shotguns is their folded metal stock. However, Franchi also manufactured the Spas-12 with detachable wooden and synthetic stocks. That being said, you could easily argue that the forend handguard that envelops most of the tube magazine, was its most distinguishing feature.

As a combat weapon primarily, the Spas-12 was commonly fired from the hip. As a result, sights were optional and somewhat uncommon. However, users who preferred a standard sight system had the option of a rear aperture iron and front blade sights.
In one of their more unusual attempts at improving the Spas, Franchi offered a metal butt hook attached to the rear of the stock. They had hoped that this would boost its one-handed shooting ability, but it proved to be impractical considering the Spas’ heavy build and powerful recoil.

Unlike most shotguns on the market, the Spas-12 featured two safeties. The first option was a push button safety which Franchi ultimately had to recall. The malfunctioning of these lever safeties took a big hit to Franchi’s sales and reputation which took a while to recover from. The second safety on the Spas-12 was a quick employment safety which disconnected the trigger while in safe mode.

Spas-12 Performance & Operation

One of the most special functions of the Spas-12 was its ability to seamlessly switch between pump action and semi-automatic. Consequently, the Franchi could fire up to four rounds a second! Just think about that for a moment … it should now make sense why the Spas-12 was so successful as an anti-riot and breaching shotgun. Although the Spas could fire many different rounds, it was really only reliable for low-pressure ammo in 2 ¾” shells. All things considered, the Spas-12 was an incredibly powerful, reliable, and intimidating firearm.

Magazines for the Spas-12

As a combat firearm, Franchi wanted to offer several magazine extension tubes for a variety of tactical situations. Consequently, they manufactured 5, 6, 7, and 8 shell tubes for the Spas-12. Franchi also incorporated the not so common magazine cut-off feature on their shotguns as an added safety measure. The benefit to the mag cut-off is that it allows the shooter to unload the chamber and change loads without having to cycle a shell from the mag. This can be useful when hunting different animals or in riot situations when switching between lethal and non-lethal rounds.

Spas-12 Accessories & Other Aftermarket Options

Even though the Franchi Spas-12 was already pretty decked out, the Italian shotgun was designed to accept tons of aftermarket options. Besides for the externally threaded barrel, they also produced a bunch of different chokes intended for specific purposes. One of the most popular accessories for the Spas-12 was the importer-supplied diverter which spread the Spas-12’s shot pattern horizontally. Lastly, after looking through old weapon magazines, I found tons of pictures of the Spas-12 with a Weaver-style scope mount and outfitted with simple reflex sights. I don’t particularly understand why somebody would attach an optic but to each their own.

Spas-15 Overview

Even before Franchi discontinued their revolutionary Spas-12, they had already begun to develop the Spas-15. And while this new and improved shotgun shares many features with its predecessor (dual firing modes, folding stock, pistol grip), there are a few key upgrades. Arguably, the biggest update on the Spas-15 is the detachable box magazine. This massive mod enables the shooter to reload in seconds compared to the slow reloading with a tubular mag. Lastly, Franchi integrated a few durability-boosting materials into the components to ensure that the Spas-15 will be a long-lasting and resilient tactical firearm. While most Americans are unfamiliar with the Spas-15 due to its import restriction, there are almost 200 models that got into the country before the ban.

Model: Franchi SPAS-15
Caliber: 12 Ga
Capacity: 6
Type: Semi-Automatic / Pump Action
Barrel Length: 18”
Overall Length: 39” (Stock Extended)
Weight (Unloaded): 8.5 lbs. (3.90 kg)

Spas-12 Vs. the Benelli M3 & M4

If you’re in the market for a Spas and can’t get a hold of one, you might want to consider adding a Benelli M3 or M4 to your collection. These similar shotguns also feature switchable actions, removable stocks, and pistol grips. However, the Benellis offer more manageable recoil and can fire more powerful combat loads. In addition to offering several barrel lengths, the Benelli line also includes a wide variety of sight options.

Model: Benelli M4
Caliber: 12 Ga
Capacity: 5+1
Type: Semi-Automatic / Pump Action
Finish: Federal Standard Field Drab CeraKote, Matte Black
Barrel Length: 18.5”
Overall Length: 40”
Sights: Ghost Ring
Weight (Unloaded): 7.8 lbs.
MSRP: $1,799

Conclusion

Besides for its impressive performance and specs, the Spas-12 makes a great collector’s item. The Franchi shotgun is incredibly fun to shoot and will catch plenty of eyes at the range. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one, cherish it because it’s one of a kind!

If you’re a shotgun-lover, you’re not gonna want to miss out on our pieces on the Best Home Defense Shotguns, Shotgun Chokes Overview, & the Best Affordable Shotguns!

Sam M

Sam is an avid firearms enthusiast who loves sharing his knowledge and experience with fellow gunivores.

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Franchi SPAS-12

The SPAS-12 is a combat shotgun manufactured by Italian firearms company Franchi from 1979 to 2000. It is a dual-mode shotgun, adjustable for semi-automatic or pump-action operation at the push of a button in accordance with the type of ammunition being used at the time. The idea behind the dual modes is to have the weapon cycle in semi-automatic when using normal shells, while the pump-action setting is for low-pressure ammo such as beanbag or baton rounds. To switch modes, the user simply need to push down a button on the underside of the forend, then either locking the forearm forward (semi-automatic), or sliding it back towards the shooter (pump-action). A series of two guide lines engraved onto the top of the heatshield serves as the mode indicator when matched up to the rear end of the pump sleeve; the forend matched up against the front guide denotes semi-automatic mode, and pump-action for the rearward line. Several iterations of the SPAS-12 existed throughout its 21-year production run, with four different stock types (fixed, folding, removed and skeletal) and three manners of safety mechanisms, though perhaps the foldable stock version is the most well-known, either with or without the bracing hook on the buttstock. Most depictions of the SPAS-12 in video games feature the shotgun with the first-generation lever safety.

The SPAS-12 was sold primarily to law enforcement customers and on the civilian market and has been featured in many movies, TV shows, and video games. Originally envisioned as a dedicated and rugged police shotgun, the SPAS acronym initially stood for Special Purpose Automatic Shotgun, but was later renamed to Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun in the hope this name would be less likely to cause problems with exports to the United States. Sale of the SPAS-12 in the United States was originally through Firearms Import and Export (FIE), and later American Arms Inc. following FIE’s closure. Both “generations” of the shotgun bear distinctive features, however, most notably the magazine tube capacity (only FIE SPAS-12s have full-length tubes) and safety type (FIE SPAS-12s in their original configuration have the recalled lever safety that often failed to engage, and on some units could even fire the weapon if it was disengaged while a shell was chambered; the ones on American Arms SPAS-12s are a reliable button-type cross-bolt safety). Importation of the SPAS-12 into the United States ceased in 1994 following the advent of the Assault Weapons Ban, and official production stopped in 2000 with around 37,000 made, making it a relatively rare (and understandably expensive) weapon nowadays, with less than two thousand units ever having made it onto American soil. The SPAS-12 has since been succeeded by the Franchi SPAS-15, which has also been discontinued.

Owing to its impressive appearance, the SPAS-12 is often depicted in media as a “hero’s gun” or advanced/prototype weapon of sorts, being essentially the shotgun equivalent of the Desert Eagle. Films and video games made during the 1980s and 1990s often have the SPAS-12 being used as a police shotgun, which is not incorrect, however such a sight in reality is rare. In actuality, the SPAS-12 was plagued with a plethora of technical shortcomings that made it unpopular among law enforcement units. Most of the complaints were directed towards its heavy weight, its fragile safety mechanism that is prone to breaking and/or not working half the time, the numerous sharp edges on the folding stock, the stiffness of the forearm in pump-action mode (since the forend pushes on the action rather than being directly attached to it), and the reliability issues when using even full-power loads in semi-auto. Another issue that is often overlooked in media is how unwieldy it is to reload the weapon; since the carrier latch also doubles as the SPAS-12’s bolt release, reloading it requires the user to upend the shotgun while keeping the button depressed in order to insert fresh shells, as the carrier will be immobilized otherwise. Most depictions in games simply have the user jamming additional shells into the weapon while ignoring the release button entirely.

The SPAS-12 is often depicted as being used almost exclusively in pump-action mode: this is largely a product of movies, since the SPAS will flatly refuse to cycle even the hottest blanks in semi-auto mode. Strictly speaking, it is incorrect to show it in semi-auto consistently cycling anything other than magnum buckshot or high-power slugs. Certain video games also oddly have the player character rack the pump while the weapon is in semi-automatic mode, which is not possible.

Derivatives of the SPAS-12 are the Franchi LAW-12 (semi-automatic only), the PA3 and PA7 / PA8 series (pump-action only) and the SAS-12 (pump-action only). Some parts interchange, but little more than stocks can do so without some serious modification.

The Franchi SPAS-12 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:

The SPAS 12 Shotgun

Whether you know the SPAS 12 from Terminator, Jurassic Park, or the shotgun’s inclusion in countless video games over the last two decades, the Franchi SPAS 12 has become one of the world’s most famous gun models. Primarily designed as a close combat weapon for military and law enforcement use, the SPAS 12 shotgun’s large heat shield, metallic folding stock, and distinctive butt hook give the gun a unique profile that stands out in any firearms collection.

A Spas 12 shotgun for sale this June at Rock Island Auction Company.

The Franchi SPAS 12 Shotgun

The SPAS 12 was manufactured in 1979 by the Italian company Luigi Franchi as a special-purpose automatic shotgun. Franchi’s SPAS 12 design was inspired in part by the High Standard Model 10, an American-made 12 gauge semi-auto bullpup shotgun developed in the late 1950s to be either shoulder-fired or fired one-handed with the swiveling buttstock braced against the bicep of the shooting arm. Like its SPAS 12 successor, the intention was to provide law enforcement and Special Forces with a versatile tactical shotgun.

The SPAS 12 shotgun had a predecessor in the High Standard Model 10.

The Franchi SPAS 12 shotgun was released two years after the High Standard Model 10 was discontinued in 1977. Marketed to police and military forces in Europe and America, the SPAS 12 offered a dual-mode shotgun design that allowed its users to choose either manual pump action or gas-operated semi-automatic at the touch of a button. This provided the operator with the option of high-speed stopping power running buck or slug in semi-automatic mode and the ability to switch back to pump when a situation called for a less lethal round and their lighter load cartridges.

The Franchi SPAS 12, a dual-mode shotgun that can quickly shift between pump and semi-automatic modes.

Some of the more prominent SPAS 12 adopters included the French GIGN and Austrian EKO COBRA counter-terrorism units, Brazil’s Special Tactical Action Group, Malaysia’s National Special Operations Force (NSOF), Indonesia’s Komando Pasukan Katak underwater demolition units, and select U.S. SWAT Teams.

The SPAS 12’s metal folding arm and hook are two of the shotgun’s defining features.

What Does SPAS 12 Stand For?

The SPAS 12 was initially called the “Special Purpose Automatic Shotgun,” with the 12 referring to the weapon’s 12 gauge chambering. The SPAS 12 was soon offered to civilians as a sporting arm as well, where the exact same model was relabeled as the “Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun.”

A SPAS 12 with its original box, labeled “Sporting Automatic Shotgun.” This example sold for $5,750 in RIAC’s December 2021 Premier Auction.

After California passed a 1989 import ban that classified the SPAS 12 as an assault weapon, Franchi introduced a modified version of the SPAS 12 to the American market in 1990 with a solid traditionally shaped stock and a smaller capacity, which also took on the designation of “Sporting Purpose Automatic Shotgun.”

A SPAS 12 with a fixed stock (top) and a SPAS 12 with a metal folding stock (bottom.)

The Jurassic Park SPAS 12

For many firearms fans and movie buffs, their first exposure to the SPAS 12 came from blockbuster films like 1984’s ‘Terminator’ and 1993’s ‘Jurassic Park.’ The Jurassic Park SPAS 12 shotgun was carried by game-warden Robert Muldoon (Bob Peck) and included the model’s original lever safety and a latching-style folding stock, though without the famous butt hook attachment.

The SPAS 12 has been notably featured in many other films, including ‘The Matrix,’ ‘Bad Boys,’ and ‘Robocop 3,’ as well as popular shows like ‘Miami Vice’ and ‘The Walking Dead.’ Today, the SPAS 12 shotgun continues to earn recognition with video game fans as well thanks to its inclusion in hits like ‘Half Life,’ ‘Modern Warfare 2,’ ‘F.E.A.R.,’ ‘Left 4 Dead 2,’ ‘Ghost Recon: Wildlands,’ and ‘Dino Crisis.’

A SPAS 12 for sale that features the iconic hooked folding stock.

The SPAS 12 Action

The SPAS 12 can switch between pump action and semi-automatic mode by pressing the auto/manual fire selector button on the bottom of the forend and sliding the forend (forward for semi-automatic and back for pump action). The SPAS 12 shotgun’s tube magazine can hold up to eight 12 gauge shells. Full-power shells can be fired in either action mode, but Franchi advised users to switch to pump action mode when shooting less lethal rounds like beanbags or low-velocity birdshot that didn’t provide enough pressure to cycle the gun.

The Franchi SPAS 12 shotgun can fire everything from buckshot, slugs, and door breaching rounds to low-powered non-lethal shells for riot control.

The Franchi SPAS 12 user manual states: “When firing in PUMP MODE you can use any kind of 2 3/4′ shell from the lightest target load to the heaviest buckshot, rifled slug, and magnum loads. However, when firing in SEMIAUTOMATIC MODE you must use loads that provide sufficient energy to ensure reliable operation.”

The SPAS 12 Hook and Folding Stock

Along with its metal folding stock and large heat shield, the SPAS 12 butt hook is one of the most defining features of the shotgun. When the stock is folded to the top of the receiver the hook can be used as a carrying handle. While certainly a convenient feature, the real reason the SPAS 12 hook is so popular is the one-handed shooting options it provides.

A SPAS 12 for sale this April 5th at Rock Island Auction Company.

The SPAS 12 manual describes the process as follows: “For one-hand firing, either right or left-handed, rotate the hook to the right or left position. This allows you to fire around a corner or barricade without exposing yourself to view. When doing this, it is difficult to provide enough resistance to recoil to allow functioning in semi-automatic mode. You may have to thrust the gun forward as you pull the trigger because your bent arm acts like a shock absorber and permits the gun to recoil excessively.”

The SPAS 12 manual recommends its user shove the shotgun forward as they fire, essentially “punching” the weapon at the target so the forward momentum of the gun at the time of discharge provides extra resistance.

In short, the operator’s bent or extended arm provides a less rigid support for the SPAS 12 when firing in semi-automatic mode, resulting in a failure of the bolt to completely cycle. This situation is similar to limp wristing a pistol, where the shooter’s grip isn’t firm enough to keep the handgun from excessively moving when firing and the slide fails to move with enough force to extract or cycle a new round.

SPAS 12 Import Bans

California’s Roberti–Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989 banned the ownership and transfer of over 50 specific firearm models, including the Uzi, the Streetsweeper, and the SPAS 12 shotgun. Even with Franchi’s solid stock and lower capacity redesign for the sporting market, the SPAS 12 was again targeted five years later by American politicians with the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which banned the import of any semi-automatic shotgun that included both a pistol grip and a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds.

A close up of the SPAS 12 shotgun’s iconic heat shield. After the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, imports of the SPAS 12 were halted in America.

SPAS 12 Production Ends

Even before Franchi was forced to abandon its American market, the SPAS 12 was losing ground to new competitors. The Benelli M3, for example, which was introduced in 1987, offered a similar dual-mode system at a more affordable price point. The SPAS 12 was also heavier than most of its peers, weighing in at 9.7 lbs, or 4.4 kg unloaded. Additionally, the suite of features offered by the SPAS 12 was perceived by some police departments as awkward, overly complicated, and too situational to justify the added expense.

The SPAS 12 shotgun’s unique suite of features came at a comparatively high price point.

In the 1980s, dedicated nonlethal riot control weapons like pepper spray, rubber bullets, stun grenades, and electric tasers became increasingly popular with law enforcement, and since the turn of the millennium, the AR-15 platform took over much of the shotgun’s niche for situations demanding lethal stopping power. The need for a highly specialized police shotgun diminished, and reliable inexpensive favorites like the Remington Model 870 and the Mossberg 500 continue to serve in select roles like door breaching and firing tear gas rounds.

The SPAS 15 was Franchi’s successor to the SPAS 12. This example sold for $7,638 in Rock Island Auction Company’s August 2022 Premier Auction.

2000 marked the final year of production for the SPAS 12 shotgun. Franchi continued the dual-mode shotgun concept with the SPAS 15, a lighter design with a faster reload thanks to its detachable box magazines. In the years since it was discontinued, the desire to own a SPAS 12 has only grown among collectors, shooters, and arms enthusiasts, and that popularity is reflected in the model’s surging price point.

SPAS 12 Price

In its final year of production, the SPAS 12 price was $1,500. Over the last two decades, and particularly in recent times, gun values have been rising across the board, but saying that the SPAS 12 price is experiencing a rapid upswing is a gross understatement.

When considering the average SPAS 12 price by year at Rock Island Auction Company, we’ve gathered data from every Sporting & Collector Auction, Premier Auction, and Arms & Accessories Auction dating back to 2016. In an effort to maintain consistency and accuracy, the graph presented below has excluded multi-gun lots and notably rare specialty examples like the scarce nickel-plated SPAS 12 shotguns. The buyer’s premium (ranging from 15% to 17.5% during the periods analyzed) is included in the sales price as this reflects what a gun collector was willing to pay to own a SPAS 12 shotgun. The graph below specifically looks at SPAS 12 shotguns with the folding metal stock that was produced before California’s 1989 import ban, and only mechanically excellent SPAS 12 examples are included.

The average SPAS 12 price by year at Rock Island Auction Company from 2016 to 2022. The dramatic uptrend is consistent with recent SPAS 12 blue book values and presents an intriguing case for the SPAS 12 shotgun as a true collector’s arm.

In only a seven-year span, the average SPAS 12 price at Rock Island Auction Company nearly tripled, a dramatic surge in value that equals or surpasses some of the hottest collectible guns on the market right now by growth percentage. In 2016, a SPAS 12 averaged $2,588, hovering around the same price in 2017 and 2018 before leaping to $3,091 in 2019, then rocketing upward the next three years and shattering the $7,000 price barrier, a number that would have seemed unimaginable ten years ago.

Specialty examples like the nickel-plated SPAS 12 are even more rare.

The reason for such a dramatic SPAS 12 price surge is multifaceted. Hollywood and video game coverage received by the SPAS 12 has certainly helped, and the shotgun’s representation in popular Youtube videos from the likes of Demolition Ranch and Garand Thumb has further elevated the model. Recent SPAS 12 values at Rock Island Auction suggest that the shotgun’s rise is no accident, and arms collectors and consigners should expect the average SPAS 12 price in 2023 to continue its strong showing.

Spas 12 for Sale

Given the SPAS 12 shotgun’s history, unique set features and aesthetic, and its presence in popular media, it’s little wonder that this Italian curiosity continues to garner interest from gun collectors across the globe. The SPAS 12 presents the chance to own and shoot a specialized tactical firearm that stands apart from any shotgun seen before or since.

SPAS 12 for sale! The famous shotgun regularly appears at Rock Island Auction Company.

Finding a SPAS 12 for sale has become ever more challenging as the shotgun’s popularity has skyrocketed. In years past, the SPAS 12 shotgun was primarily featured in RIAC’s Premier and Sporting & Collector Auctions. The famous gun’s presence in Arms & Accessories Day Auction events highlights the expanded quality and selection found in RIAC’s newest auction format.

A Magnum Research Desert Eagle Mark XIX pistol with case.

Hollywood action films have made stars out of numerous guns, enhancing their value in the eyes of the collecting community. Subscribe to the Rock Island Auction newsletter to receive weekly gun blogs and gun videos on firearm models that forged their legend in Hollywood like the Beretta 92FS, the Mac-10 SMG, the Bren Ten pistol, as well as genuine screen-used hero guns like Lara Croft’s pistols, John Wayne’s ‘True Grit’ revolver, and Han Solo’s DL-44 blaster from the original ‘Star Wars.’

The H&K USP 9 Match pistols wielded by Angelina Jolie in 2001’s ‘Tomb Raider’ film sold for $32,250 in RIAC’s August 2022 Premier Auction.

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