By: Friedrich Seiltgen

Smith & Wesson has a brand-new product called the M&P 12.

The new Bullpup design, 12-gauge shotgun is perfect for home defense or law enforcement duty. The design uses two independent magazine tubes holding six rounds of 3” shells or seven rounds of 2 ¾” shells, and it also holds mini shells. That’s one of the advantages of a pump action gun, as it has no gas system to adjust when using different type shells. Since the magazine tubes sit side by side underneath the barrel, spent shells are ejected out the bottom.

The independent magazine tubes have an assist button to make loading and unloading easier. There’s also a push button magazine tube selector, with a highly visible indicator that gives the operator a clear indication of which magazine tube is in play, with a reciprocating cover with release button for clearing damaged shells. Having two independent magazine tubes also allows for different types of ammunition for different situations as you can load buckshot in one tube and slug rounds in the other.

For safety, the M&P 12 has an ambidextrous AR-15-style safety and tactile loaded chamber indicator. Controls like the bolt release are also ambidextrous for the lefties out there, and the sling swivel attachments can be swapped from one side to the other.

The dual pistol grip shotgun comes with four, interchangeable palmswell grips for the M&P rear grip, and there’s another pistol grip on the forend to help with positive chambering.

The 19” 4140 Chrome-Moly Vanadium steel barrel is equipped with interchangeable flush mount modified and cylinder bore choke tubes that allow you to customize the choke for your situation. The barrel shroud also comes with M-Lok slots for mounting lights, lasers, etc.

SPECIFICATIONS

Action Type: Pump action.

Caliber: 12 Gauge.

Magazine capacity: Six or seven in each independent magazine tube, depending on size.

Sights: Picatinny Rail for optics.

Barrel Length: 19”

Overall Length: 27.8”

Overall width: 3.7”

Weight: 8.3 Lbs

MSRP: $ 1,165

URL: www.smith-wesson.com

Smith & Wesson VP of Marketing Kyle Tengwall states, “With the introduction of the M&P 12, S&W is able to offer our consumers a personal protection product in a variety of categories: pistol, revolver, rifle and shotgun. Today we are excited to unveil the M&P 12- a new category introduction for Smith & Wesson, and a firearm that’s purpose-built for protection and a blast to shoot at the range.”

The M&P 12 is packed full of features in a compact design. It’s definitely worth a look, so get on over to your gun shop and check it out!

That’s all for now folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s be careful out there.”

Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism, Firearms, First Aid, Active Shooter Response, and Law Enforcement Vehicle Operations in Florida. His writing has appeared in The Counter Terrorist Magazine, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International. Contact him at [email protected].

Photo from Mossberg.com