'Combat' Shotgun

SRM Arms, Inc., run by Jeffrey Hajjar, introduced a very interesting high-capacity, rotary-magazine-fed semi-auto 12-guage (sic) combat shotgun at SHOT Show 2008 that generated a lot of interest. Magazine capacity is 8, 12, and 16 rounds, depending on either the length of the shotgun (there are several models/sizes) or where your set the front magazine retention latch. The 4-chambered rotary magazine is underbarrel-mounted, and looks like a Calico Light Weapon Systems (CLWS) helical-feed magazine, which is appropriate, since the same designer/engineer designed both magazines. However instead of the rounds being fed in helical fashion, the new shotgun's rotary mag feeds the rounds linearly (i.e. straight), and the shooter has to manually rotate the magazine as he's firing with an ambidextrous thumb lever located above the front of the magazine at the front mag retention latch area. The magazine is rotated by pushing up on the lever and simultaneously rotating the magazine clockwise, if you're right-handed. If your left-handed, you would rotate the magazine in the opposite direction."

Interesting approach. Aside from the fact that the guy in the pic is going to get some nasty ass nose bleed and one helluva shoulder bruise from firing anything but birdshot in such a manner, the article is worth a look.

I've no idea what a 'combat shotgun' is and very much doubt that the services will be using something so relatively minuscule to relocate 'charlie' from within the wire, but as a fancy toy or home defense weapon it might find a niche. Using low-recoil shells but of course.