This wonderful article first dropped on AmmoLand Information in October of 2021 and seems right here now with contemporary updates.
The shotgun market might be awfully stale. We get a brand new marvel rifle or handgun seemingly weekly, however a brand new shotgun hardly will get any consideration. Most of them are available in pump-action or semi-auto. They fireplace a load of shot. Most have tubes, some have magazines, however the total design is pretty easy. Nicely, that’s modified with the SRM 1216. Don’t fear, and it’s a very good change.
The SRM 1216 could possibly be the way forward for combative shotguns.
So What I Am Wanting At
Nicely, I name it some of the modern and underrated shotguns at the moment available on the market. It’s a 12 gauge, semi-automatic shotgun in a quasi bullpup configuration that makes use of a detachable, rotating journal made up of 4 tubes. Oh, and it’s a curler delayed system, not inertia or a standard gas-operated gun.
The journal sits beneath the barrel and is basically 4 tubes that type one journal. Every journal holds 16 rounds of two.75-inch shells. When a tube runs dry, the consumer rotates the journal to the left or proper and feeds from the subsequent tube. As soon as each tube is dry, you’ll be able to eject all 4 tubes as a removable journal and cargo one other journal of 16 rounds.
Fairly dang easy. I say quasi bullpup as a result of the motion isn’t behind the set off/pistol grip however positioned instantly over it. It’s like an Uzi in a whole lot of methods. The top result’s a 33-inch shotgun that’s a good bit shorter than your normal shotgun with an 18.5-inch barrel. For reference, a Mossberg 590 short-barreled shotgun with a 14-inch barrel that holds 5 rounds is 33.75 inches.
As a bullpup, it could possibly be difficult to lefties, however you’ll be able to really swap the ejection to the alternative facet. It’s not simple, however it may be performed at house. The identical goes for swapping the bolt launch and charging deal with. And even higher, simply order it from SRM Arms within the configuration you want.
The SRM 1216 Ergonomics
Ergonomically the gun is ready up good for me. The gun ejects out of the fitting, however the charging deal with is on the left. The bolt launch is on the fitting and takes nothing greater than a press of my set off finger to shut. The protection is ambidextrous AR-like in some ways. The journal launch and unlock gadgets are additionally ambidextrous.
To rotate to the subsequent tube, it’s essential to flick one in all two tabs to unlock the journal for rotation. This does require a reasonably lengthy attain however is shortly accomplishable. The journal launch is similar approach. General, journal swaps gained’t be AR 15 quick and can greatest be performed whereas chicken-winging the gun. Nevertheless, after 16 rounds of 12 gauge, I’m unsure how a lot reloading you’ll have to do.
You can not high off the journal on the fly like a standard shotgun. It’s all or nothing. Loading the journal takes two arms, however as soon as it’s loaded, it may stay loaded. Conventional field magazines can’t be left loaded, or the shells deform. That’s not a difficulty right here.
The 13.25-inch size of pull is kind of good. It’s not fantastically lengthy and uncomfortable. Too many shotgun firms use 14 to 14.5-inch size of pulls which can be downright sickening for tactical capturing. Right here we get a controllable size that makes utilizing the gun with trendy gear potential.
The SRM 1216 – Extra Than A Gimmick
On the vary, the SRM 1216 handles fairly nicely. The semi-auto motion is fast and cycles quickly. With a purple dot on the gun, I can get heading in the right direction and begin dispatching buckshot with little effort. Recoil is a stiff push, however the semi-auto takes some sting out of the gun. The SRM 1216 has little or no muzzle rise, and with a very good recoil mitigation method, you’ll be placing buckshot proper the place you need it.
Swinging between targets and fascinating quickly feels pure with the brief size of the gun. I can swing between a number of targets and rip them to shreds with controllable double-taps. Swapping from tube to tube might be performed fairly shortly. When capturing the gun, I practiced loading one spherical in every tube practiced operating the tubes.
When a contemporary tube comes into place, the bolt routinely closes and hundreds the contemporary spherical. As quickly as you rotate the tube, the gun is able to shoot. I received it all the way down to the purpose the place I may do all 4 rounds from 4 tubes in lower than 4 seconds.
The gun weighs a little bit greater than seven kilos, so it’s not beefy, and a lot of the weight is to the rear, so it balances nicely. When loaded, the entrance doesn’t really feel too heavy, even with 16 rounds of buckshot. The gun has a cylinder bore, and that works nicely since I am keen on Flitecontrol. There may be nothing particular about its capability to sample with normal buckshot. It’s fairly typical in that regard.
Does It Run!
Yep, even with crappy, light-weight birdshot, it goes bang each time and cycles the most affordable of ammo. In reality, the one situation I can manufacture is utilizing purposefully underpowered skeet and lure hundreds. Something about 1,000 FPS runs fantastic. And no, it doesn’t use mini-shells. The SRM 126 is one helluva shotgun, and it’s surprising that it’s been round for a decade and has by no means gotten the eye it actually deserves.
It’s proper round $1700 bucks, (much less $ on line) however that places it priced a lot decrease than a Benelli M4. Additional mags value 200 bucks a pop however are seemingly at all times out there. What say you? Is the SRM 1216 for you? If that’s the case, let me know under. If not, let me know why.
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About Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms fanatic, and now a daily man who likes to shoot, write, and discover methods to mix the 2. He holds an NRA certification as a Fundamental Pistol Teacher and is the world’s Okayest firearm’s teacher.
