USAS-12
Encyclopedia
The Daewoo Precision Industries USAS-12 is an automatic shotgun
designed as a combat shotgun
manufactured in South Korea
by Daewoo Precision Industries
during the 1980s.
for quick determination of the number of shot shells left. It has an effective range of 40 m.
The latest version of the USAS-12 is capable of fully automatic fire.
. The design of the new weapon was produced by John Trevor Jr. Since Gilbert Equipment Co. had no manufacturing capabilities, it started to look for possible manufacturers. It turned out that the only maker that agreed to produce this weapon was the South Korean company Daewoo Precision Industries, a part of the high-tech Daewoo
conglomerate. Daewoo engineers adapted the new weapon to their manufacturing techniques, and mass production commenced in the early 1990s. This gun sold well to military and security forces of several (unspecified) countries in Asia, and more than 30,000 of USAS-12 shotguns were made by mid-1990s.
During the same timeframe, Gilbert Equipment Co. tried to bring semi-automatic version of USAS-12 to the U.S. market, but the BATF promptly classified this weapon as "having no sporting purpose", so it became a "destructive device
" under the U.S. National Firearms Act
of 1934. This greatly restricted its civilian use. During the late 1990s, RAMO Defence Co. began to assemble USAS-12 shotguns from Korea
n and U.S.-made parts for sale on domestic market, but sales of this weapon were limited to government agencies only. Today, this gun is still being manufactured by S&T Daewoo
in Korea
for Military and Law Enforcement sales only.
Recently, a US firearms manufacturer, Ameetec Arms LLC of Scottsdale, Arizona
, has started the manufacture of a USAS-12 semi-automatic clone, called the WM-12; it mainly differs from the USAS-12 by the lack of fixed sights and carrying handle, replaced by a Picatinny Rail
. The manufacturer states that the WM-12 is not a Destructive Device, and is thus readily available to civilians. As of January 2008, however, the WM-12 was no longer to be found on Ameetec Arms online catalogs due to the fact that it was discontinued after its initial semi-production run. Only a few WM-12s were actually built using USAS-12 Demilled shotguns.
The semi-automatic version of the original USAS-12 is presently manufactured by DGN Enterprises Inc near Martinsville, Idiana, under the store front Guns & Ordnance. The new production USAS-12 is still registered as a "destructive device
".
Automatic shotgun
An automatic shotgun is a form of shotgun that is able to fire cartridges continuously while the trigger is pressed, unlike semi-automatic weapons which require the user to depress the trigger for each projectile fired.- Design :...
designed as a combat shotgun
Combat shotgun
A combat shotgun is a shotgun that is intended for use in an offensive role, typically by a military force. The earliest shotguns specifically designed for combat were the trench guns or trench shotguns issued in World War I...
manufactured in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
by Daewoo Precision Industries
S&T Daewoo
S&T Daewoo is a South Korean firearms and auto parts manufacturer founded in 1981. Its firearms equip most frontline units of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.- History :...
during the 1980s.
Design
The USAS-12 is a gas-operated, selective-fire weapon which is designed to provide sustained firepower in close-combat scenarios. It accepts detachable 10-round box magazines or 20-round drum magazines. Both types of magazine are made of polymer, and drum magazines have their rear side made from translucent polymerPolymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
for quick determination of the number of shot shells left. It has an effective range of 40 m.
The latest version of the USAS-12 is capable of fully automatic fire.
History
The history of the USAS-12 dates from the 1980s vintage designs of Maxwell Atchisson. In about 1989, Gilbert Equipment Co. (USA) decided to bring up the selective fired weapon, broadly based on principles, employed in Atchisson shotgunsAtchisson Assault Shotgun
The Auto Assault-12 , originally designed and known as the Atchisson Assault Shotgun, is a shotgun developed in 1972 by Maxwell Atchisson. The current 2005 version has been developed over 18 years since the patent was sold to Military Police Systems, Inc. The original design was the basis of...
. The design of the new weapon was produced by John Trevor Jr. Since Gilbert Equipment Co. had no manufacturing capabilities, it started to look for possible manufacturers. It turned out that the only maker that agreed to produce this weapon was the South Korean company Daewoo Precision Industries, a part of the high-tech Daewoo
Daewoo
Daewoo or the Daewoo Group was a major South Korean chaebol . It was founded on 22 March 1967 as Daewoo Industrial and was dismantled by the Korean government in 1999...
conglomerate. Daewoo engineers adapted the new weapon to their manufacturing techniques, and mass production commenced in the early 1990s. This gun sold well to military and security forces of several (unspecified) countries in Asia, and more than 30,000 of USAS-12 shotguns were made by mid-1990s.
During the same timeframe, Gilbert Equipment Co. tried to bring semi-automatic version of USAS-12 to the U.S. market, but the BATF promptly classified this weapon as "having no sporting purpose", so it became a "destructive device
Destructive device
In the United States, a destructive device is a firearm or explosive device regulated by the National Firearms Act of 1934.Examples of destructive devices include grenades, and firearms with a bore over one half of an inch, including some semi-automatic shotguns. While current federal laws allow...
" under the U.S. National Firearms Act
National Firearms Act
The National Firearms Act , 73rd Congress, Sess. 2, ch. 757, , enacted on June 26, 1934, currently codified as amended as , is an Act of Congress that, in general, imposes a statutory excise tax on the manufacture and transfer of certain firearms and mandates the registration of those firearms. The...
of 1934. This greatly restricted its civilian use. During the late 1990s, RAMO Defence Co. began to assemble USAS-12 shotguns from Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n and U.S.-made parts for sale on domestic market, but sales of this weapon were limited to government agencies only. Today, this gun is still being manufactured by S&T Daewoo
S&T Daewoo
S&T Daewoo is a South Korean firearms and auto parts manufacturer founded in 1981. Its firearms equip most frontline units of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.- History :...
in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
for Military and Law Enforcement sales only.
Recently, a US firearms manufacturer, Ameetec Arms LLC of Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
, has started the manufacture of a USAS-12 semi-automatic clone, called the WM-12; it mainly differs from the USAS-12 by the lack of fixed sights and carrying handle, replaced by a Picatinny Rail
Picatinny rail
The Picatinny rail or MIL-STD-1913 rail or STANAG 2324 rail or a "Tactical Rail" is a bracket used on some firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform. A similar system is the Weaver rail mount.-Description:...
. The manufacturer states that the WM-12 is not a Destructive Device, and is thus readily available to civilians. As of January 2008, however, the WM-12 was no longer to be found on Ameetec Arms online catalogs due to the fact that it was discontinued after its initial semi-production run. Only a few WM-12s were actually built using USAS-12 Demilled shotguns.
The semi-automatic version of the original USAS-12 is presently manufactured by DGN Enterprises Inc near Martinsville, Idiana, under the store front Guns & Ordnance. The new production USAS-12 is still registered as a "destructive device
Destructive device
In the United States, a destructive device is a firearm or explosive device regulated by the National Firearms Act of 1934.Examples of destructive devices include grenades, and firearms with a bore over one half of an inch, including some semi-automatic shotguns. While current federal laws allow...
".
See also
- List of shotguns
- Atchisson Assault ShotgunAtchisson Assault ShotgunThe Auto Assault-12 , originally designed and known as the Atchisson Assault Shotgun, is a shotgun developed in 1972 by Maxwell Atchisson. The current 2005 version has been developed over 18 years since the patent was sold to Military Police Systems, Inc. The original design was the basis of...
, another fully automatic shotgun