So, You Want An AR-12 Shotgun? Best Picks And Buyer’s Guide

Advantages

Shotguns, even those of the tactical variety, have traditionally utilized tube magazines. While tube mags have certain advantages in their own right, namely allowing for a very sleek overall package, they also have obvious drawbacks. When it comes to fast reloads, the potential for increasing a shotgun’s total capacity and quickly switching one’s ammunition type, box mags are the clear winner. Result? The development of box magazine-fed shotguns.

The most successful of course are those that are based on the Kalashnikov. The Saiga-12 is the original, the VEPR-12 is a beefed-up version of the same, and today Chinese and American clones of these AK shotguns are widely available as an alternative given the importation ban on Russian firearms. AK shotguns have seen enormous success not just on the international commercial market, but on the international military and police market as well.

The AR-12 is an attempt to do the same thing with the AR-15. At least, kind of. While AK shotguns use a traditional Kalashnikov operating system, AR-12 shotguns rarely function the same way as true AR-style rifles. Instead, AR-12s typically only imitate the aesthetics and control layout of ARs to make them more familiar to the American shooter. 

The first shotgun that could really be considered an AR-12 is the Daewoo USAS-12. While it doesn’t look quite as “AR” as some of the newer commercial models, it is a semi-auto 12-gauge that’s fed by box (and drum) magazines. Its lower receiver, controls and grip are also directly based on the AR-15, and it even has carry handle iron sights. While the USAS-12 was successful in the military/police market, its commercial sales were very limited.

What’s An AR-12 Good For?

Short answer? 3-Gun and blowing up pumpkins.  

You could ostensibly hunt using an AR-12 with a 2- or 3-round magazine…but traditional semi-auto hunting shotguns are lighter and handier in the field, and they work so well that there’s no advantage to using anything else.  

As for home defense or any other more tactical purpose, again, an AR-12 could work fine, but there are reasons why armed professionals are still choosing more traditional tactical shotguns like Benellis to do their jobs.  

Benefits And Drawbacks 

AR-12 shotguns bring two main advantages to the table.  

First, thanks to the detachable magazine, it’s faster to reload and allows for easy switching between ammunition types. Both details are advantageous to 3-Gun shooters and are why AR-12s are popular in Open classes.  

Capacity is less of an advantage than you’d think. While 19- to 21-round magazines and drums exist, 5- and 10-round sticks are more common given the bulk of 12-gauge shells. Most tube mag shotguns have somewhere between a 5+1 and 8+1 capacity, so it’s not that big of a difference.

Second, the ergonomics and manual of arms of an AR-15 have always been among the best of all fighting rifles. If you already have some training or familiarity, less time will be required to learn to run an AR-12 efficiently.  

And now, time for the “but.”  

The magazines have long been the Achilles’ heel of mag-fed shotguns. Rimmed cartridges/shells and box magazines don’t always get along.  

The Saiga and VEPR shotgun mags are generally regarded as the best, but even those sometimes require tuning to get and stay reliable. You may have to do likewise with certain AR-12 mags. 

Second, AR-12 shotguns come in two flavors. Expensive but generally reliable with care, and Turkish imports. The latter are more common.  

This isn’t to say that good firearms cannot be manufactured in Turkey, Stoeger and Canik come to mind, but it is to say cheap imported guns are usually that way for a reason. In the case of Turkish-made AR-12s, that means general QC and reliability can both be hit-or-miss. Some owners report great reliability with a given model while others’ turn out to be lemons.

AR-12s aren’t 50-state legal either, whereas some of the more traditional semi-auto shotguns can be.  

Many don’t have an adjustable length of pull and accessories can be anywhere from common to vaporware. Magazines and spare parts can also be difficult to source depending on the model.

What To Look For In An AR-12

Firstly, if there are any accessories you plan on attaching to your AR-12, you should first ensure that there are compatible options available.

Also, if you’re serious about using the gun for something other than just blasting stuff in the back 40, look for a gun that has factory support and good parts availability.  

The most common magazine pattern is MKA 1919 magazines, so it helps if your gun accepts them.  

Finally, semi-auto shotguns of all kinds have been plagued with issues cycling light target loads since time immemorial, so a model with an adjustable gas system is a big plus.