8 Powerful Revolver Shotguns That Are Almost Too Good To Be True

When discussing revolver shotguns, it’s essential to clarify the term. For some, it refers to shotguns with revolving magazines rather than typical tube magazines. Others include models with rotating tubular magazines. There are also revolvers capable of firing shotgun shells. This overview contains each type to cover all bases. Let’s dive in.

The SIX12

The SIX12 is a 12-gauge, semi-automatic shotgun featuring a six-round revolving magazine and a bullpup design. This design distributes more weight towards the shooter, enhancing ease of use while maintaining a compact size with a full-length barrel for power and manageability.

The SIX12 (continued)

It is primarily intended for hunting, home defense, and self-defense. It fires 3-inch shotgun shells and boasts a reliable mechanical action. Additionally, the shotgun’s barrel can be easily swapped, adding to its versatility.

The Armsel Striker

The Armsel Striker is a combat shotgun designed for riot control, used by the South African National Defense Forces, Israeli police, and Vietnamese Defense Forces. It shoots 12-gauge shells from 12-round revolving magazines or 7-round magazines in compact models. Barrel lengths vary from 7.5 to 18.5 inches.

The Armsel Striker (continued)

Although reloading its cylinder magazine is time-consuming, modifications such as a cocking lever on the right side have sped up the process. The shotgun operates with a double-action trigger and uses a clockwork spring mechanism to rotate the heavy cylinder.

The Pancor Jackhammer

The Pancor Jackhammer is a 12-gauge, gas-operated revolver shotgun with a bullpup design, created in 1984 and patented in 1987. It features a revolving cylinder that holds 10 shotgun shells, allowing for both semi-automatic and fully automatic fire modes. Despite its depiction in several video games, only a few prototypes were ever built, with some sources claiming none were completed.

The Pancor Jackhammer (continued)

Classified as a machine gun under U.S. law, the Jackhammer faces severe restrictions, making civilian ownership nearly impossible. Its unique design poses a significant risk of injury to the shooter.

The Unarmed Pentagun (continued)

The Unarmed Pentagun is a Brazilian-made revolver shotgun designed for both commercial and tactical use. It features a double-action-only firing mechanism and a five-round capacity.

The Unarmed Pentagun (continued)

Unique to its design, the barrel moves 1.5 millimeters backwards into a recess in the cylinder chamber to eliminate the gap between the cylinder and barrel, enhancing safety and accuracy. It maintains a straight line configuration to minimize muzzle rise. The commercial model weighs under seven pounds and includes a 20-inch barrel, while the police and military version features a shorter 11.4-inch barrel.

The MTS-255

The MTS-255 is a Russian-made revolver shotgun with a five-round revolving cylinder, available in various chamberings from 12 gauge to .410 bore. Its unique forearm design extends nearly to the cylinder, facilitating traditional revolver-style loading and unloading.

The MTS-255 (continued)

There are two main versions of the MTS-255: a civilian model with a permanent wooden buttstock and forend and a law enforcement variant equipped with a black plastic folding stock and a Picatinny rail for mounting sights. This distinction allows for tailored usage depending on the user’s needs.

The SRM Arms Model 1216

The SRM Arms Model 1216 is a semi-automatic shotgun featuring a delayed blowback system and a high-capacity, revolving 16-round magazine. Designed for mobility, it’s ideal for law enforcement and home defense. The magazine contains four tubes parallel to the barrel, each holding four 2.75-inch or 3-inch shotgun shells. Users can manually rotate the magazine to switch between tubes, allowing the use of different shell types as needed.

The SRM Arms Model 1216 (continued)

The shotgun is equipped with a polymer stock and steel upper receiver to balance durability and lightness. It also features configurable elements like a removable charging handle, safety, and ejection port, and offers ample Picatinny rails for accessories. Additionally, there are two shorter variants: the Model 1212 with a 13-inch barrel and 12-round capacity, and the Model 1208 with a 10-inch barrel and 8-round capacity.

The IWI Tavor TS12

The IWI Tavor TS12 is a bullpup shotgun with a unique revolving magazine design, featuring three tubes that each hold five shotgun shells, offering a total capacity of 15+1 rounds. This design significantly increases the shotgun’s capacity without extending its length, maintaining a compact 18.5-inch barrel.

The IWI Tavor TS12 (continued)

The TS12 is equipped with rails for mounting accessories and allows for the selection of different shell types during use. Its design addresses the reliability issues often found in detachable box magazines used in critical situations.

The Taurus Raging Judge

The Taurus Raging Judge is a unique revolver that can also fire shotgun shells, primarily designed as a revolver but capable of shooting .410 bore shells. Although .410 is less powerful than the 12-gauge, the Raging Judge compensates with versatility, firing a range of loads from birdshot to slugs.

The Taurus Raging Judge (continued)

With a 6.5-inch barrel, it’s compact compared to traditional shotguns. The revolver shines in versatility and power. It can fire .454 Casull rounds, dramatically increasing its firepower and making it suitable for hunting small game, home defense, and even bear encounters. It holds six rounds and features a robust double-cylinder lockup.