Smith and Wesson got out of the shotgun game in 1985 when the Smith and Wesson assault shotgun failed to attract military and police customers. It simply wasn\u2019t profitable even though they produced and imported a collection of shotguns for years beforehand. Imagine my shock as I, a shotgun nerd, awoke to see that the M&P line now included a shotgun. I was even more surprised when I saw that the new M&P 12 was a dual tube bullpup shotgun.<\/p>\n
The KSG started the genre, the UTAS 15 followed, and so did the DP-12. The DP-12 did utilize a second barrel but mostly fits here. The S&W M&P 12 is more practical with a single barrel. It\u2019s a pump-action design, and it might just be the most practical and high-quality option of these futuristic bullpup dual-tube shotguns. Let\u2019s dive into it.<\/p>\nShotgun go BOOM!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Specs and Features<\/h2>\n
This is a bulky beast. It looks like it stepped out of some sci-fi flick set in the near dystopian future. If you said this gun was from Cyberpunk 2077, I\u2019d agree. It does the job of looking cool quite well. The M&P 12 comes in a sweet hard plastic case with two chokes, instructions, gun lock, and a choke wrench. Here are the numbers for you nerds.<\/p>\n
\n
Barrel Length:<\/strong> 19 inches<\/li>\n
Overall Length:<\/strong> 27.8 inches<\/li>\n
Weight:<\/strong> 8.3 pounds<\/li>\n
Chamber:<\/strong> 2.75 to 3 inches<\/li>\n
Capacity:<\/strong> 14 (2.75 inch rounds)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Fourteen rounds are nothing to laugh at, especially 14 rounds of high-quality buckshot. That second tube adds some weight to the gun, but the weight is easy to ignore since it\u2019s closer to the body. Ultimately it\u2019s quite small, much smaller than my Benelli M4 or Mossberg 590A1.<\/p>\n
Inside The M&P 12<\/h2>\n
As a bullpup shotgun, the M&P 12 doesn\u2019t follow the traditional pattern of a standard shotgun. Therefore let\u2019s take some time to point out some of the more unique features of the M&P 12 gauge.<\/p>\n
First, clearing malfunctions appear difficult. The bulky ammo, bullpup design, and small loading area look like it might be a nightmare. S&W saw this and designed a retractable rear plate that opens up that loading chamber. <\/p>\nI set up a malfunction to test the malfunction defeat feature.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The extra room makes it easy to dump out jammed shells. I purposefully jammed the gun with two Snap Caps and retracted the rear plate. The two rounds dumped right out.<\/p>\n
Retracting the plate requires the push of a button in the stock and a sharp pull. Ensure the action is locked forward when you do so.<\/p>\nHit that button release the stock and clear malfunctions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Clear it, close it, and get back after it. It\u2019s not as easy as tap rack bang or even clearing a normal shotgun. It\u2019s one of the bullpup compromises, and I commend S&W for including it.<\/p>\nWith the firing port opened, the rounds went loose and were easy to dump out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
In front of the chamber, on each side of the gun, there are two load-assist buttons. These make loading the gun easier and also make unloading it easy. Press the buttons, and the shell retainer hits the road. This allows you to easily load the gun and makes admin unloading quick and safe. Pressing the load assist buttons is not necessary to load it but makes things easier.<\/p>\n
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