Auto-Assault-12, now with grenade goodness...

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Auto-Assault-12, now with grenade goodness...

Posted: 5/31/2008 4:41:58 PM EDT

This may be old news to you guys, but I just ran across a video of the AA-12 automatic shotgun.

This updated/product-improved AA-12 shotgun is reportedly combat-reliable under adverse conditions, built like a tank (so it's highly rugged, or "ruggedized"), and, according to MPS, Inc. company officials, requires zero cleaning or lubrication (that's right, none). DefenseReview would think that eventually the guns would have to be cleaned at some point, but none of the AA-12 prototypes have required it, yet (and we're talking about many thousands of rounds fired through all of the prototypes, so far)--but more on that, later.

I know it's been around a while but it seems to be making its way closer to use and now it comes with:

The story gets even better: As it turns out, there's an exciting new family of 12-gauge (12ga.) shotgun rounds on the U.S. military horizon to go with the AA12 Shotgun, and it's called the FRAG-12. There are three members of the FRAG-12 munition family: the FRAG-12 High Explosive (HE), FRAG-12 High Explosive Fragmenting Antipersonnel (HEFA, or HE-FA), and FRAG-12 High Explosive Armor-Piercing (HEAP, or HE-AP). This unique and exciting shotgun ammunition has been designed and developed by the Experimental Cartridge Company, Ltd. and Action Manufacturing Inc.

The FRAG-12 family of 12-gauge ammo represents true "leap-ahead" or "transformational" technology with regard to the combat effectiveness and capability of 12-gauge combat/tactical shotguns in military infantry and, more specifically, urban warfare applications--provided that all variants perform as they were designed and developed to perform. Combining the FRAG-12 with the new Auto Assault-12 (AA-12) shotgun, which fires full-auto at 300 rpm (rounds-per-minute) would REALLY transform the combat capability for infantry combat shotguns. It's therefore important that the FRAG-12 rounds prove to be both reliable and accurate in actual operational deployment (i.e. tactical application), as well as safe to handle, store, ship, and fire (for the operator/shooter). If the FRAG-12 lives up to its billing, well then, folks, U.S. military combat shotguns just got some serious new life shot into them (excuse the pun), and will see a LOT more use on the 21st century battlefield, especially if the AA12-variant shotguns are purchased in large numbers by U.S. Armed Forces. It could happen.

According to the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory's (MCWL) FRAG-12 Shotgun Ammunition Fact Sheet (PDF file), all three FRAG-12 rounds utilize a standard 3-inch 12-gauge cartridge case and propellant, which fires a fin-stabilized 19mm warhead with a MIL-SPEC 1316-compliant fuze assembly. The projectile arms after firing once it reaches 3 meters from the muzzle, and detonates on impact with the target. The FRAG-12 HE projectile, for instance, is designed to punch a one-inch diameter hole through 1/4-inch cold rolled steel plate, have a maximum effective range of 200 meters (200m), and reliably cycle/function in both gas-operated and recoil-operated tactical/combat shotguns. 200m is an impressive effective range for a 12-gauge tactical shotgun employed/deployed in infantry combat/urban warfare environments. The FRAG-12 HE-AP round incorporates a shaped charge to allow it to penetrate 1/2-inch steel armor plate. The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) states that "the main reason for experimentation [with the FRAG-12 ammo family] is to examine these rounds as potential improvements to the combat-effectiveness of shotguns in urban areas [for urban warfare operations], using shotguns for stopping vehicles [vehicle interdiction] at roadblocks and checkpoints, barricade attack, and remote probing of potential Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)."

Edit: Forgot the link...

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