It just makes me happy: SPAS 12L

[coldcase1984]

When I started in Public Safety in '92 my employer didn't provide shotguns to us, but we could use our own . My brother lent his 1984 Terminator-approved SPAS-12L to me until I went to SRO in late '93. He gave it to me a couple years back and I just put it Back in Black this weekend with a new recoil buffer assy. It never failed to gain submission upon presentation to a troubled person.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v704/elrata/image.jpg1_zpsm50n1bfw.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/elrata/media/image.jpg1_zpsm50n1bfw.jpg.html)

[JDM]

Oh that is very cool!!!

[Colt191145lover]

One of the meanest looking shotguns ever! But boy were they complicated control wise and the recoil was heavy.

[coldcase1984]

Shooting it with the folding stock is an act of contrition verging on scourging...only the old 870 top folder hurts more...

[LHS]

I've always wondered... what was the hook for?

[JDM]

I always understood the hook to be for one handed shooting. Somehow.

[coldcase1984]

Carry handle, as seen in pic, primarily.

[1slow]

SPAS 15 was even cooler clip fed.

[S Jenks]

I have been lusting after a SPAS-12 since I was a kid and am hoping to finally pick one up this summer. As stated, insanely overcomplicated but oh-so-pretty.

I'm sure you already know, coldcase1984, but it's always worth mentioning: don't use that lever safety! A design defect will allow it to fire while the safety is put on or taken off, I forget exactly. Something about the sear engagement? I also heard that dry firing then engaging the safety before working the bolt can cause damage as well.

You can't just stroll down the road, you know?

[coldcase1984]

Yup. Was reading about the issue yesterday. What little use this epic blaster will receive will be on range and invoke only the Garand like safety in trigger guard.

I doubt more than 150 rounds has been fired through it since my brother got it new in late '84. Since fewer than 2K were imported I suppose I could sell it for enough to get close to an ANIB 3.5-in. Pre-27 to carry around at work to cement my Angry Old Man persona.

But the gun loon in me wants to get a custom fixed stock, put an Aimpoint, light and laser on it then do the metal in NP3 and furniture in Kryptek Yeti for a Heavy Barbecue Gun/Grampa is a Slig Hallowe'en accessory...:cool:

In the short run: detail clean gas system and everything else, find some Variomax choke tubes, replace mag spring and get an alloy follower.

[Peally]

Clever girl...