Franchi SPAS12

Specifications, Parts Diagram, and Sources

Specifications  (Click here for full factory specifications)

GAUGE/CHAMBER	12 ga. 2 3/4 inch chamber (Do NOT attempt to shoot 3" Shells. Why not?)
OPERATION	Pump action or gas operated semi-automatic
BARREL	21.5 inches
CHOKE	Cylinder (Note 1,2)
SIGHTS	Ghost ring sights
CAPACITY	2, 6, 7, or 8 plus 1 in barrel (Note 3)
OVERALL LENGTH	41 inches
WEIGHT, EMPTY	9 pounds 10 oz.

Note 1: Everybody says "Cylinder", but every SPAS-12 I've gauged has been halfway between "3/4 Choke" and "Improved Cylinder." Then I did some measurements and found the whole barrel is between the diameters of a 3/4 choke and an improved cylinder, right from the forcing cone to the tip of the barrel. So, it isn't choked but is undersize. I found out this is not uncommon on European shotguns.

Note 2: Other external choke tubes are available.

Note 3: A very complex question. Franchi's brochure says 2 + 1 or 6 + 1 with an extension. The picture they show has an extension one shell short of the full barrel length. Most guns I see have a longer extension that is the full length of the barrel, which would then make the gun a 7 + 1. Many folks say the gun is 8 + 1 because it is possible to put 8 crimped-type shells into the 21.5" magazine. And if you use end-disk type shells (which are longer), the maximum is 7 in the magazine. (See Magazine Capacities for more info on the effect of shell types.) The FIE User's Manual says 8 + 1. The original Franchi export manual says 7 + 1.
I prefer to use a spring meant for a 10 round magazine and only put 7 shells in to give it the extra room it needs -- I've seen the factory spring fail to feed that 8th shell on many occasions.

Exploded Parts Diagrams

Entire Gun (small image 60K)
Entire Gun (bigger image 200K)
Trigger Assembly
Parts List in English
Lista Parti Di Ricambio (In Italiano)

Source - Chris (your host) Is Making Certain Parts

I have begun to make certain parts that have become unavailable or overpriced. It was a shame to see guns taken out of use, sometimes parted out, due to the lack of a small plastic part.

Click here for information.

Source - Carlson's SPAS12 & SPAS15 Parts

Scott Carlson is, to the best of my knowledge, the sole US importer of SPAS parts from Franchi. He supplies all the US dealers. He will be more than happy to sell directly to you at list price. Click here for his offerings. They continue to shrink rapidly with time.

Source - E-GunParts.com (Numrich Arms) SPAS12 Parts

This is the major supplier of used gun parts in the USA. They have just started to list SPAS12 parts here.

Source - Classified Ads

Check eBay, Gunbroker.com, AuctionArms.com , etc. for parts as they often show up there. (That's how I got my scope mount.)

Check the ads here at SPAS12.com.

Tips - Parts Scarce As Hen's Teeth

The SPAS12 and SPAS15 are no longer in production and Franchi has changed hands since they stopped. Parts are becoming hard to get. Carlson's has stock on some items, some not.

These are the parts that seem to be in demand, but difficult to get. I'll also add the availability and last price I saw for each:

Part Availability Cost

Folding Stock Rare $450

Hook for Stock None ?

Magazine Extension Rare $185

Trigger Group Rare $300

Divertor Rare $300

Scope Mount Rare $81

(Any emails asking where to buy any of the above will be ignored.)

You will never, ever be able to buy a replacement receiver. The receiver is considered to be "the gun" by the ATF, so importing a receiver is importing a gun, which is banned.

Note the "old" style receiver shock absorber is not listed above. It is still available as a substitute made up by Carlson's.

Tips - Receiver Shock Absorber -- Part #6

There are two styles of Receiver Shock Absorber, Part #6. They are generally called the "new" and "old" styles:

Old Style (Above)

New Style (Above)

Make sure you know which one you need and get the right one -- if you can, they are often hard to come by. Note the "old" style goes into a cone-shaped recess, the new goes into a cylinder-shaped hole.

Part	Availability	Cost
Folding Stock	Rare	$450
Hook for Stock	None	?
Magazine Extension	Rare	$185
Trigger Group	Rare	$300
Divertor	Rare	$300
Scope Mount	Rare	$81