Tokyo Marui SPAS 12 Airsoft Shotgun
(Model: Pistol Grip)

"Finally got to field this during last weekend.
As a note, I got mine elsewhere, with a metal folding stock, for ~$250. So I'll keep my review to everything but the stock.

It's TM, so it's not-surprisingly all plastic. As with most TM's, it still feels good. I would be much happier with it being metal, but I won't be holding my breath for someone to release a metal version.

It is a springer... I have no issue racking it, but my GF struggles with it. Funny enough, it is especially easier in the middle of a match - I assume the fear of getting hit suddenly helps with pumping it?

It shoots three at once, the shells by TM and by CYMA both seem to work without any issues. You get ten shots out of each shell (total of 30 BB's). Reloading is kind of a pain since it only holds one shell but the process itself is easy.

I have only used .2 BB's since it's indoors, but I've heard of people using up to .28 BB's.

My next will be a CYMA metal one, as I'm curious how the quality compares.

"If you're a tactical shotgun lover like me, this is heaven on earth in a gun. This thing is big, menacing and is the coolest looking shotgun you will find anywhere.

Performance:
The gun has set hop-up for the three barrels and the grouping is excellent. The range is what you'd expect from a spring shotgun, you'll be getting about 90-100 feet out of each shot before you lose all accuracy. I did a range test with a friend and, angled up, I could get about 120 feet before he had to stop dodging BBs. I use .20s in this gun and they shoot perfectly. It isn't a high FPS gun due to Japanese replica firearm laws but that isn't really a problem. It's 3 shots at once, and using the sights you'll hit what you're aiming at within range.

User-Friendliness:
I'm a big guy and big guns don't bother me. This is a very big gun, almost as long as my M4 DMR. It's not too bulky and I can easily run around the field with it for a day. However, I would not recommend this for younger players as it is front-heavy and the pump is designed for large hands. It's also not what you'd be used to with those Cybergun 590s just about everyone seems to have. It's 3 springs you're pulling back, not just one.

Externals/Magazines
The externals are made of a solid plastic (Just like any other TM gun) and it feels surprisingly sturdy. Holds up well during a battle, both in playing a CQC game in a back yard and a TDM game in a forest. There are no clear Franchi trades I can spot. There's an F on the trigger guard immediately below the chamber cover release, and it says SPAS-12 underneath the charging handle (Which cannot be moved), along with various other TM trades. Something weird I noticed is the safety/chamber cover release. On the real steel SPAS-12, the safety is a vertical tab on the right side of the gun. On the airsoft version, this tab is used to open the chamber cover for magazine insertion. The safety is a horizontal tab that slides across the trigger guard on the left side of the gun. I mean, logistically it makes sense to put it there for the airsoft version, but it doesn't exactly reflect the real gun. Details, details.

The magazines are 12 Gauge sized shells with a capacity of 30 BBs. This will give you 10 shots total before you run out. The gun comes with one of them. These can be distinguished by the polished gold color on the end of the shell, as well as TOKYO MARUI 12 GAUGE engraved on the bottom. A two pack of these will run you around $25, but don't worry, the CYMA 30 round shells are fully compatible with the TM system. I've noticed no performance differences between the TM and CYMA shells, which can be found on Amazon for under $20 (6-Pack). I use a 6-round shell holder on the left side of my gun for quicker reloading. The mag tube (lower of the two barrels) has a twist/pull cap and a spring loaded plate for quick ejecting of 2 shells max in the tube. It's hard to get off at first, but after a couple cycles it's easier. It will require some force to click back into place. I personally find it very impractical and have removed the spring/plate, which slide around freely and make an annoying sliding noise. Not a con, just a bit of a design brain fart there.

Now some miscellaneous other thoughts and info.

A question I see a lot is "Why isn't there a stock?" or "Can I get a stock for it?"
Well, you can. But it costs just about as much as the gun. There are stock mount points on the top of the grip, which you would probably miss if you weren't looking for them. Good luck finding an original TM stock. The only stocks available right now are Octagon Airsoft clones. They have an installation video on their YouTube channel. The base price is $120 (My reaction was less than pleasant when I heard that as well) and shipping wouldn't be cheap. I've heard $150 just to get it stateside. Another note for smaller players: The stock will make the gun around 10 inches longer when fully extended. You probably won't even be able to reach the pump.

The manual is mainly in Japanese, but the key points are illustrated and many have English translations. There are some pretty egregious typos, but you can read around them.

The real steel SPAS-12 is a semi-automatic shotgun. This gun is spring-powered, therefore obviously lacking that capability. However, the gun was built with a capability to Slam-Fire by holding down the trigger and operating the pump repeatedly. It's sort of a reverse-semi-auto action, but it's as close as you're gonna get to semi-auto with a spring shotgun. I personally do not use this feature to avoid any risk of damaging the gun, even though it was built to withstand it. It's useful for high intensity CQC situations when constant fire is necessitated. Keep in mind that slam firing at a fast place will empty a full shell in under 10 seconds.

The sights are surprisingly accurate for a shotgun. The rear block sight is fixed, but the front barrel sight is adjustable in an interesting way. To adjust, use a big screwdriver to remove the screw at the very front of the heat guard. You can twist the barrel left or right, depending on which way your barrel comes slanted. Mine came a little to the right. Make tiny twists. You will be able to feel detent points. There are 5 total, the exact middle one is hard to get to. It may require a couple minutes of fidgeting to line it up correctly. Make sure you don't screw the front screw in too tight when done, if you do it'll lose the corrections and be a pain in the butt to undo. Happened to me.

There are two rear sling point mounts. One of them is plastic and is built into the stock. The other is a screw-in cap with a keychain ring attached. It came configured for a right hand shooter, but I'm a lefty so I just switched those around by unscrewing them and putting them back on opposite sides. The included keychain ring is very weak and bent open within one match. I replaced it with a stronger one and it works just fine. I'd recommend doing that out of the box if you want to sling it from the rear. There is a front swivel point which can adjust to either side. I personally use a short sling and attach both points to the keychain ring at the rear.

So basically, this is pretty much the ultimate spring shotgun. Sturdy, shoots well, looks amazing. If you're looking for a SPAS-12 model that looks like the real thing and that you can actually put a stock on (Looking at you ASG) this is your gun, if you're willing to justify the price point. I have absolutely no regrets in purchasing this gun. Summed up in four words: Old but still gold.

"This is by far the best spring-powered tri-shot shotgun that money can buy. The Tokyo Marui SPAS-12 is absolutely fantastic and for the price, it was totally worth it, you will not find this for less than $200 anywhere else, Tokyo Marui's SPAS-12 Tri-Shot has been around for many years, in fact, it has been around for over a decade and still proves to be one of the best Tri-shot shotguns available. When my TM SPAS-12 first arrived, the first thing I noticed is how big the thing is, it is a very bulky gun which gives it a huge intimidation factor. Performance-wise, it is about what you would expect. The hop-up is fixed and designed for .25g bbs. In a CQB environment, it works great, it is very accurate up to a certain distance, then the bbs will start to fall. I wouldn't recommend this for field use, only because of the fact that it was not designed to shoot that far, but it is perfect for CQB use. Overall, it is actually a pretty hefty gun, but it is very front-heavy, mainly due to the fact that the outer barrel and tubular magazine are made out of metal, the rest of it is made out of plastic. The biggest disappointment of course is the lack of the classic Steel folding-stock, Tokyo Marui used to make them, but they have been long discontinued and have become very expensive collector's items now, If you are lucky enough to find one, it really does complete the look of the SPAS-12.

Pros:
- Very Accurate
- Decent Range
- Tri-shot feature works very well
- Intimidation factor
- Does not require gas or batteries because it is spring-powered
- Perfect for CQB
- Looks amazing for being one of the only available airsoft SPAS-12 shotguns

Cons:
- Weight feels unbalanced, it is very front heavy.
- Does not come with a folding-stock