Experience with SPAS 12?

Question

Want to get a 12 gauge. Not for hunting or anything, just for home defense and trips to the range. Did my research and I WAS settled on a Mossberg 590, but now considering a SPAS 12... It's quality, a collector's item and... It's just cool looking! Yes yes, it is legal in my state and so am I.

Anyone have any experience with it? Should I could up the $1200 for one, or just get a $400 Mossberg?

Answer 1

a SPAS 12 is NOT quaility.

They tend to jam a lot, and are overly heavy for what they are.  A friend of mine had one and it was always causing problems.  He offered to sell it to me, and I passed. He eventually sold it on the internet for about $700, when he bought it slighly used for $900.

If you want you can get a $1200 one, and after you get sick of it jamming, you can sell it for

$900, and THEN buy the $400 mossberg

Note on legality, while state laws may vary, the SPAS-12 is TOTALLY LEGAL to own, and treated no differently than grandpa's old single shot shotgun regarding federal law.

However, the ATF and the Clinton Administration have put in some roadblocks to IMPORTING new ones into this country, but then Franchi stopped making SPAS-12s about that same time anyways.

Unless you are planning on buying a big shipment from a foreign country and reselling them, the import ban has no impact on your life, besides possibly driving up the market price of the firearm you want to foolishly buy

Answer 2

The SPAS 12 is legal in my state too. But it is considered a Class III destructive device under a very silly federal law.

You will need to cough up another $200 for a tax stamp to legally own one in the United States.

I have a 590 and it's a great gun, probably one of the best for the money, Remington 870 is a great inexpensive option as well.

Given the SPAS 12s status I would consider it only as a collectors item, or as an investment as it is no longer imported and will definitely increase in value.

For fun at the range and home defense my recommendation would be the Benelli M1, M2, or M3.

The M1 and M2 are great 12ga Semi-autos and the M3 can go pump or semi-auto like the SPAS but is still a "firearm" not a "destructive device" and does not require the paper work, background check and expense of the SPAS.

My Benelli M1 is my home defense choice and is so fun to shoot that I have a bruised shoulder and I am out of shells long before I am bored.

Also the Benelli is lighter and cycles faster than the Franchi SPAS 12.

If you have the money to buy a SPAS and put it away, and buy another shotgun to shoot and rely upon, great!

If you are looking for one shotgun for everything get a Benelli.

Answer 3

Overrated shotgun made popular by the movie Terminator. Overly heavy and is limited to 2 3/4" shells.

However, you are correct they do look neat and I do like the pump override feature.

$1200? You could get 3 or 4 other shotguns for that price. If price is not an object I would look at the Benelli and FN semi-autos.