voonman 133 Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 (edited) Has anyone every shot one of these or even own one?The Spas 15 is the box fed Auto loading 12 gauge and the Spas 12 is the tube fed Auto loading 12 Gauge...Both guns have the option from the push of a button to become either Semi Auto or Pump Action...I heard back in 1996 the U.S banned them from being imported due to it being labeled as a destructive device...I believe only the ones that are currently floating around are allowed to be sold without any restrictions...Ive posted some info and pics with a live video of the gun in action..It seems to be a nice alternative to the Saiga 12..Tell me what you guys think Video link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SW-43ezYLQ...feature=related Type: Selective semi-auto (Gas operated, rotating bolt) or manual pump action Gauge: 12 Chamber: 70mm (2 1/2"). Barrel length: 450 mm Overall length: 1000 mm (750mm with butt folded) Weight: 3.9 kg empty Magazine: 6 rounds detachable box The Franchi SPAS 15 shotgun is a further development of the earlier SPAS-12 shotgun. SPAS-15 is intended as a law enforcement or a military weapon, that require reliability, versatility and firepower. The firepower is achieved by using detachable, single stack box magazines along with the gas-operated semi-automatic action, so multiple shots could be fired in quick succession and magazine could be changed much faster than reloading a conventional tubular shotgun magazine. The versatility is achieved by complementing the semi-automatic action with manually selectable pump action, which allows to fire low pressure ammunition, such as less lethal tear gas or rubber slug projectiles. SPAS 15 utilizes short piston stroke, rotating bolt gas operated action. The gas chamber and cylinder are located above the barrel, the bolt group is mounted on the dual guide rods along with the recoil springs and could be removed as a single unit for ease of maintenance. The type of action (semi-automatic, or manual pump) is selected by the position of the forearm. To put the gun into the AUTO mode, one must push and hold the button, located at the top of the forearm, and then pull the forearm all the way forward until the red marking "auto" will appear on the barrel shroud. To switch gun back to the PUMP mode one must push and hold the same button and then pull the forearm a little back until it will lock and the red marking "PUMP" will appear on the barrel shroud ahead of forearm. The cocking handle is completely ambidextrous and located at the top of the receiver, under the carrying handle. SPAS-15 features a manual safety lever, located inside the triggerguard, that locks the trigger when engaged, and an additional automatic grip safety at the pistol handle, under the triggerguard. SPAS-15 feature a set of open, rifle type adjustable sights, and could be equipped with various additional sighting devices, such as red dot sights or laser pointers. The receiver of SPAS-15 is made from aluminum alloy, the furniture is made from polymer plastics. Earlier models were equipped with fixed plastic buttstock or with side-folding skeleton type metallic buttstocks. Recent production models are equipped with side-folding, solid plastic buttstocks. Magazines are made from plastic and can hold up to 6 rounds of 12 gauge shotgun ammunition. Barrels had a cylindrical bore and can be equipped with Variochoke system. The SPAS-15 is a high quality, reliable and versatile arm, and it is being used by various law enforcement and military agencies, including some units of Italian army. Edited July 10, 2009 by voonman Quote Link to post Share on other sites
joelrod47 373 Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 The SPAS-15 stock (as shown above) is very functional, and very comfortable, with modification to an Ace hinge (by Tony at TROMIX) on the S-12 !!! They're no longer available, however............... Looks like this: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SaigaNoobie 66 Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 http://spas12.com/ Read all up on the 12. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VanKiller 322 Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 I do not believe you will find any floating around without restrictions. Once declared a DD the guns are required to be transfered thru NFA section ATF with a $200 tax stamp. The original owner could register without cost at the time of re-classification, but ever since, a $200 stamp has been required. Same as Striker/Street Sweeper....and any shotty in the US that could take a drum mag up till now. . . . . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sudaevpps43 31 Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 (edited) ...I heard back in 1996 the U.S banned them from being imported due to it being labeled as a destructive device... The SPAS 12 and SPAS 15 were never classified as DD's by the ATF. That nonsensical distinction only befell on the Stryker/Protecta and the USAS 12. There was a rumor Clinton had tried to get the ATF to classify that bullpup variant of the Mossberg 500/590 as a DD as well, but allegedly even the ATF thought it was a bit much to try to classify a tube fed pump action shotgun as a DD, and so they didn't. Anyway, importation of the SPAS 12 and SPAS 15 was instead stopped because the ATF declared them to be non-sporting. I think Franchi stopped producing the SPAS 12 a few years ao. The SPAS 15 is still being made, but unless Franchi makes a 'sportified' version that would qualify for importation, we won't be seeing any new SPAS 15s in the states ever again. I have never handled a SPAS 12 or SPAS 15 myself, but from what I have heard they were well made, though somewhat complicated to operate (I also heard the folding metal stock on the SPAS 12 was painful to shoot with). The dual action capability (auto or pump) they have does sound interesting, but I think an adjustable gas valve like the Saiga 12 uses is a mechanically simpler way of being able to cycle both high and low powered shotshells. As far as how the SPAS 12 and SPAS 15 compare to the Saiga 12, the SPAS 12 weighs about 9.5 lbs, and so is noticeably heavier than a stock Saiga 12 which weighs about 8 lbs. The SPAS 12 uses a fixed tubular magazine and so can't be reloaded as fast as a Saiga 12, and its magazine capacity is fixed at 8 rounds while the Saiga 12 has box magazines with capacities of up to 12 rounds available, as well as course the MD-20 twenty round drum. The SPAS 12 is also chambered for 2-3/4" shells only, whereas the Saiga 12 can handle up to 3" shells. The SPAS 15 compares better, as it is only about half a pound heavier than the Saiga 12 and also uses box magazines. The SPAS 15 also has a magwell and last round bolt hold open, and so fast magazine changes are easier compared to the Saiga 12s we can get here in the U.S., which (with the exception of those that had them added aftermarket by their owners) don't have magwells and last round bolt hold opens. On the other hand SPAS 15 magazines are only available in a six round capacity, and like the SPAS 12 the SPAS 15 is chambered for 2-3/4" shells only. Their ability to switch to pump action does give the SPAS shotguns the ability to cycle the very lowest powered shotshells the Saiga 12 couldn't cycle even at its number 2 gas cylinder setting, but needing to shoot such very low powered shells would be an uncommon need for most shooters I think. While I am sure the SPAS 12 and SPAS 15 are good shotguns, I think, and this is just my own opinion of course, the Saiga 12 is a better shotgun overall. Of course if you have money to burn and wanted to collect some of the more unique and rare shotguns out there, the SPAS 12 and SPAS 15 definitely qualify as good collectibles. Edited July 11, 2009 by Frogfoot Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madmax4x4 68 Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 (edited) I do not believe you will find any floating around without restrictions. Once declared a DD the guns are required to be transfered thru NFA section ATF with a $200 tax stamp. The original owner could register without cost at the time of re-classification, but ever since, a $200 stamp has been required. Same as Striker/Street Sweeper....and any shotty in the US that could take a drum mag up till now. . . . . ??? you can always find spas 12 on GB all day long, 800.00 with out the hook is the best price I have seen one go for. The spas guns are NOT DD's. And the fact it could take a drum had was not the reason the USAS 12 was classified as a DD. And I don't know about right now but I have seen them on GB also but to priceyyy I have shot the SPAS 12 but not the SPAS 15 if fact I don't think I have seen a SPAS 15 in person. SPAS 12 was cool looked big but I would take the saiga over it any day. Never shot a USAS but I did shot the AA-12 the full auto step brother, it was nice because it was full auto but the one I shot needed at least heavy shot to work well and was like holding a jack hammer in mid air never mind looks like I just repeated the post above. Edited July 11, 2009 by madmax4x4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
voonman 133 Posted July 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 They say here that the spas 15 is banned from importation in the USA.But those that are already here is still legal to be owned and sold http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franchi_SPAS-15 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rogertc1 4 Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 (edited) Yup the Spas went the way of the Street Sweeper WITH THE 94 aw Ban. The Saga 12 is half the price of the Saiga 12 some 20 years ago and the Saiga is a better shotgun. In my experiance with all of them cuse I had them. I had to give up my SS and Spas too. No class 3 or DD in Iowa http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=133103022 http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=133317452 Edited July 11, 2009 by rogertc1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sudaevpps43 31 Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 (edited) They say here that the spas 15 is banned from importation in the USA. But those that are already here is still legal to be owned and sold http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franchi_SPAS-15 That is correct. Up until about a decade and a half ago it was perfectly legal to import any firearm that wasn't a NFA class firearm (i.e. machinegun, DD, etc.) and that was the time during which SPAS 12s and SPAS 15s were being imported. Then when the 1994 AWB (which I have always called the assault-looking weapons ban because it had nothing to do with actual assault weapons, and only banned certain combinations of cosmetic features that a firearm might have) went into affect the ATF ruled that any firearm that had those same cosmetic feature combinations banned under the 1994 AWB law could no longer be imported. After the 1994 law sunsetted in 2004 domestically produced firearms went back to normal, but the ATF decided that despite the fact that the 1994 AWB law was no longer in affect, that it would continue to use the cosmetic feature combinations specified in the 1994 law as the definition of what was not a sporting arm. So only foreign made firearms that do not have those cosmetic feature combinations are classified as sporting firearms and can be imported. Long story short, if the the SPAS 12 and SPAS 15 were made in the U.S. new ones could still be made and sold today, but because they were/are made in Italy, and they have the specified combination of cosmetic features, they are now classified as non-sporting and can no longer be imported. Meanwhile those SPAS 12s and SPAS 15s that did make it into the U.S. before the 1994 AWB went into affect (which was in September or October of 1994 if I remember right) can still be bought and sold as freely as any other shotgun. In case you were wondering how easy it is to find SPAS shotguns these days and how much they cost, SPAS 12s actually appear quite commonly on auction sights like Gunbroker, with typical asking prices between $800 and $1800 (depending on their condition, whether they have the old recalled paddle safety or the newer push-button safety, what sort of stock they have, etc.). SPAS 15s by comparison are quite rare and when they do appear the asking price is typically at least $3000 (more often $3500-$4500). The reason for the disparity in availability and pricing is that the SPAS 12 had a considerably longer importation window than the SPAS 15 did, and so many more SPAS 12s than SPAS 15s made it into the U.S. before importation was stopped. Edited July 11, 2009 by Frogfoot Quote Link to post Share on other sites
madmax4x4 68 Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Man Frogfoot you know your shit and are very well spoken. you musthave had schoolen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
voonman 133 Posted July 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Too bad they couldnt let the spas 15 be imported as they do with the saiga 12 sporting model...And we can just convert it to make it 922r compliant..Then we would have a bunch of our vendors making all the goodies as they do with the saiga 12.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyRumore 1,332 Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 I do not believe you will find any floating around without restrictions. Once declared a DD the guns are required to be transfered thru NFA section ATF with a $200 tax stamp. The original owner could register without cost at the time of re-classification, but ever since, a $200 stamp has been required. Same as Striker/Street Sweeper....and any shotty in the US that could take a drum mag up till now. . . . . You're thinking of the USAS-12. The SPAS-12 and SPAS-15 were never declared DD's. Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.