Posted on 06/03/2005 9:31:26 PM PDT by TERMINATTOR
It is a well-known fact that terrorists killing our troops in Iraq are not afraid of the M4 and its 5.56mm bullet -- but they are terrified of shotguns. Enter the AA-12. No felt recoil, high explosive rounds, gas-forged and heat-treated, this shotgun may give terrorists a run for their money.
Throughout the history of firearms, those firing multiple projectiles have always proven enormously effective at close-to-medium ranges out to 50 yards and beyond. This was especially true where cannons fired musket-size shot instead of cannon balls, although the latter was also deadly against enemy forces in formation. Because of the advantages of the shotgun in close-quarter battles and the great fear it instilled in those who came up against it, this family of weapons continued to evolve through the centuries. Double-barrel shotguns were used with great success during the 19th Century and the slide action (or pump) repeating shotgun began its legendary career with the U.S. Military during the Philippine Insurrection against Moro terrorists. Its reputation was reinstated in the trench warfare of World War I, with the 12-gauge Model 97 Winchester.
Law-enforcement agencies throughout America have adopted and issued even more shotguns than the military. Often referred to as riot guns, these many models have closely paralleled their military counterparts, usually having barrels 18 inches or so in length. The shotgun is equally popular with Americas prison system, not to mention millions of Americans who want an utterly capable weapon for home defense. While relatively few pump-action shotguns are issued by the military today, semi-automatic models still are, such as the Binneli Model 10-14. Like virtually all other shotguns used by the military over the years, this was one based on a civilian shotgun used for hunting and competition shooting. However, it was equipped with a retractable butt stock and a pistolgrip especially for the United States Marine Corps. The Atchisson Assault-12
Max Atchisson demonstrated his AA-12 for several years, but the project didnt go anywhere, except in the hands of a con-artist who bilked several hundred people out of deposits on guns that were never produced. A few years later the AA-12 influenced the design of the Universal Sporting Automatic Shotgun-12 (USAS-12). Produced by DAEWOO, of South Korea, the USAS-12 used a 2-piece stock and fired from a closed bolt using a trigger system similar to that of the M16. When such guns were declared destructive devices no longer available to the public, production of them all but ceased.
Finally in 1987, Max Atchisson, broke and in danger of losing everything, sold the rights to the AA-12 to Mr. Jerry Baber, of MPS, Inc., in Tennessee. A brilliant engineer with a long history in the firearms business, Baber is also one of the worlds foremost experts in high-precision cast steel parts. With the acquisition of the rights and patents came all of Atchissons drawings of the AA-12, but not his AA-12 prototype. Along with his partner, Boje Corneal, an equally talented German mechanical engineer, Jerry Baber began production of a small number of pre-production samples of the AA-12 for test purposes using Atchissons drawings. However, they soon discovered that the drawings were not to specification when the first complete AA-12 would not work, as built to print. Thus began an extensive redesign of the AA-12 that extended over an eighteen-year period with a total of no less than one hundred and eighty-eight (188) changes/improvements having been made to date. These changes have involved every aspect of the gun, except for one, and that is Atchissons original recoil spring. One of the most important and interesting is the gas port, which is like nothing I have ever seen before. The name of the gun was also changed to the Auto Assault-12.
During the interim, Baber and Corneal had businesses to operate, and Jerry Baber made parts for 39 gun companies at his B&H Precision foundry. Among these companies were Barrett Mfg., Freedom Arms, North American Arms, Shilo, Smith & Wesson, Cobray, Atagua, Charter Arms, and RAMO Corp. Ronnie Barrett describes Jerry Baber as a master caster.
How Its Made
Like Max Atchissons original design, the new AA-12 uses an 8-round box magazine and a 20-round drum, but are made of the same tough synthetic as the stock. While the new magazines resemble the original prototypes, many subtle improvements have been made to assure 100 percent reliability. In fact, Jerry Baber showed me cases of 400 AA-12 8-shot magazine bodies that were to be scrapped because of a single minor improvement that had been made. The 8-round box and 20-round drum are the only feed devices that will be offered for the gun, although a 32-round drum has been designed. A means of attaching two 8-round magazines side by side is not out of the question.
The stock halves can be removed in seconds. Then with the magazine removed and the bolt allowed to go forward, the butt is pushed forward causing the recoil spring guide to protrude out the front of the gas block. The locking collar can then be removed and the butt, recoil spring guide and spring can then be allowed to exit from the rear under pressure. Once this assembly is removed, the piston/bolt carrier and bolt can be removed by pulling back on the charging handle. The handle can be removed out the front of the receiver and the bolt group can be disassembled if necessary. Using a simple pry tool, the barrel lock can be removed allowing the barrel to be removed and replaced with a different one for special- purpose missions.
Except for the noise, shooting the target 12 ga. shells in the AA-12 was like shooting a .22 rimfire machinegun. Really! High brass buckshot and slugs produced more noise and a bigger muzzle flash from the CQB model, and also increased the cyclic rate, but the additional recoil generated was barely worth mentioning. It took the two ladies only a couple of short bursts before they were emptying 20-round drums without stopping, and they barely moved. What was also impressive is that single and double shots could easily obtained because of the relatively slow cyclic rate of 300 rounds per minute. If two rounds were fired, they both hit in the same place out to 25 yards. Even CTS door-breaching rounds operated the AA-12, but when using less-lethal rounds the bolt must be cocked each time by hand. Hornady Manufacturing Company is looking into the possibility of other specialized 12-gauge ammunition. It is a well-known fact that the Islamic terrorists killing our troops in Iraq are not afraid of the M4 and its 5.56mm bullet, but they are terrified of shotguns. You can imagine how they would react to the AA-12 with 20 rounds of buckshot, but thats only half the story, as there is something far more effective.
Initial testing has confirmed that the HE Blast round will produce about a 1- inch hole in cold rolled steel plate with secondary spalling effects on the downrange side of the plate. The HE Fragmentation warhead is designed to have blast and fragmentation out to a 2-meter casualty radius and the HEAP round is claimed to be able to penetrate 4 inches of aluminum armor and more than ?-inch of steel. All three rounds have a 200m effective range. My information is that 100 rounds of this ammunition were received at Quantico and that testing is almost complete as this is written in mid- January. Test data and any remaining cartridges will be transferred to MARCORSYSCOM for combat effectiveness and a potential requirement. In plain English I can tell you that the Marine Corps wants this capability very badly, and at the general-officer level the AA-12 is also in great demand with the possibility that three guns will go to Iraq for field testing with the next rotation. Others in high places are pushing for the AA-12 to be tested throughout the military as soon as possible.
Although hes no kid, Jerry Baber loves and respects those who are fighting what far too few understand is truly Global War On Terrorism. He also believes that every day our troops dont have the Auto Assault-12 in their hands, more of them are dying than would otherwise be the case. Plenty of others believe it too. Beyond our military are elements of Homeland Security that have expressed great interest in the AA-12, such as or the guarding of our nuclear facilities. Foreign governments who are allies of the U.S., such as the Philippines, are also very interested, but in addition to them the AA-12 will be available only to the military and agencies of our Federal Government. |
I like the "no recoil" for momma... nothing like a woman with a 12 gauge defending her house and not worried about the kick of a rifle...yikes!
Handles one of those boat anchors once. It would take a real hero to tote that thing all day!
Damn, Uncle Jebb!
You want beheadings? Let the Marines show you beheadings.
Can you imagine having a couple of hundred of these things coordinated like a phalanx system?
I don't know, with my dismal luck with pheasants, nothing short of a suitcase nuke is going to help me. It'll also be hell on the crops too.......
Why are the special forces getting stink about using a better round? 6.8 x 43 is a round all of our troops could use.
You got that right. I turned a coke head into Jesse Owens one night in Tacoma with a single pump.
Garand was a genius, pols are numbskulls.
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I never saw the use for sights on a shotgun. Just point in the general direction you want the shot to go.
They would be snagging on my pillow case.
Make double damn sure that safety is on. :-)
It will make a thug soil their underwear if they know...'This pumps for you'.
I am saving my pennies and my next purchase will be a Remington 11-87 police model.
I already have a Winchester 1200 Defender which functions perfectly but handles like a 2X4. It is also very front heavy when full loaded. I wanted an 870 but the local Wal-Mart had this one on clearance so I bought it.
...now you know, why I feel ssso insssulted about remarksss on Sssnakesss and other reptilessss.
i am thinking all of us qualify since the shotgun is now declared weapon of militiamen... used by our armed forces and able to deter terrorists.
we just need to formulate a letterhead.
i plan to ask for one and will sue for the right to own one... heap rounds too...
teeman
There I go! Thanks for the ping.
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