🇺🇸🇰🇷 Prototype USAS-12 Shotgun / Destructive Device The USAS-12 is a 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun designed by the Gilbert Equipment Co. of Nashville, TN and produced by Daewoo Precision Industries of the Republic of Korea. Originally designed in the late 1980s as a select fire combat shotgun based on the Atchisson AA-12, the design was licensed out by the Gilbert Equipment Co. to Daewoo since the company lacked the production capabilities necessary to bring the shotgun to market. USAS-12 stands for Universal Sporting Automatic Shotgun, 12 Gauge and is operated by a long-stoke gas piston system. In 1993, Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen declared that the USAS-12, along with the Striker-12 shotgun, had no sporting purpose and would henceforth be classified as Destructive Devices under the National Firearms Act. An amnesty period lasting until 2001 allowed owners to register their shotguns tax free. The USAS-12 acquired for my collection is prototype produced by the Gilbert Equipment Co. with the serial number E.S.M.-1 being the initials of the name Earby S. Markam, of one of the designers involved in the project. I acquired this USAS-12 from a friend of Earby who was also the original registrant of the shotgun as a Destructive Device on the last day possible of the amnesty period. It came with twelve 10-round stick magazines and two 20-round drum magazines. One of the drum mags is also a prototype as noted on a piece of tape. The shotgun also came with a cheap Tasco Accudot but I’m kinda digging its vibes so it stays on for now.