The Franchi SPAS-15 is a dual-mode
12 gauge combat shotgun manufactured by the Italian company
Luigi Franchi S.P.A.
Luigi Franchi S.p.A. () is an Italian manufacturer of firearms, a division of Beretta Holding.
Franchi products include the military SPAS-12 and SPAS-15 and the sporting-type long-recoil action AL-48. Franchi manufactures over and under, and ...
Design
The weapon is based on the
SPAS-12, and has similar
pump-action
Pump action or slide action is a repeating firearm action that is operated manually by moving a sliding handguard on the gun's forestock. When shooting, the sliding forend is pulled rearward to eject any expended cartridge and typically to coc ...
/
semi-automatic firing modes. In semi-automatic mode, a gas piston drives a bolt carrier and rotating bolt. In pump-action mode, the same components are driven by sliding the fore-end backwards. Pump-action mode is required to reliably fire low-pressure (less lethal) ammunition such as
tear gas
Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ...
rounds or
less-lethal bean bags. Switching between firing modes is done by pressing a button above the foregrip, and sliding the foregrip slightly forwards or backwards. The barrel is chrome lined and features screw-in
choke tubes.
Unlike its predecessor, the SPAS-15 is fed by a detachable box magazine. The gun features either a fixed black wooden stock, or a side folding metal stock. Both had the same pistol
grip safety. Amongst Italian troops the weapon is known by the nickname "La Chiave dell'Incursore" (the key of the commando) because it is used to blast the locks of closed doors.
Legality
In 1994, the United States banned the importation of the SPAS-15 with close to 180 shotguns imported, but later abolished the relevant regulations. In Canada, the SPAS-15 is classified as a
Prohibited Weapon and cannot be legally owned or imported except under very limited circumstances. In Italy, the SPAS-15 is a common weapon for both law enforcement and civilians.
Users
*: Used by
BOPE,
BFEsp,
Federal Highway Police and Military Police GRT unit. Small numbers were also acquired by
Federal Police in 2002 but retired due to reliability issues.
*: 2,000 acquired in 1999 by the
Italian Army
"The safeguard of the republic shall be the supreme law"
, colors =
, colors_labels =
, march = ''Parata d'Eroi'' ("Heroes's parade") by Francesco Pellegrino, ''4 Maggio'' (May 4) ...
. Also used by the
Carabinieri
The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign poli ...
.
*:
Israeli special forces
*:
Portuguese Army.
See also
*
List of shotguns
References
External links
ManualFranchi SPAS-15
at Modern Firearms
Franchi Homepage in English
magazine patent
Pump-action shotguns
Semi-automatic shotguns of Italy
Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1986
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