PA-7

PA-7

General Facts

TYPE
Shotgun

ORIGIN
Italy

NICKNAMES
-

DESIGNED
1980's

DESIGNER
Franchi

PRODUCTION
1980's - present

PRODUCERS
Italy - Franchi

QUANTITY
Unknown

UNIT COST
About $330 to $400 in 2010

CHARACTERISTICS
Rugged and reliable
Limited production costs
Able to fire low pressure ammunition
Difficult to fit accessories

Introduction

The PA-7 is a shotgun of Italian origin. It was developed by Franchi as a less cumbersome and less menacing alternative to the SPAS-12 for law enforcement use.

Design

The PA-7 is a pump-action with a conventional design. The PA-7 has a fixed wooden stock, tubular magazine below the barrel and rearward sliding pump-action mechanism. The iron sights are rather simple. The PA-8 has a plastic pistol grip and comes with a plastic wooden stock or metal folding stock. A variety of screw on chokes is available.

Firepower

The PA-7 fires 12ga ammunition with a 2.75 or 3 inch shell lenght. The magazine capacity is either 5 or 7 rounds. The pump-action mechanism allows for low powered and non lethal rounds to be fired. Reliability is good. Rate of fire and reload speed are limited.

Users

The PA-7 is used on a limited scale by law enforcement units around the world.

Variants

PA-7

PA-7

The PA-7 is the original model with fixed wooden stock and rifle type grip. The wooden stock is painted black. The PA-7 comes with a barrel lenght of 18.5 or 24 inch, with the former being more common.

Statistics

Name:	PA-7 (18.5")	PA-7 (24")
Caliber	12ga 3"	12ga 3"
Magazine	5+1 or 7+1 round tubular magazine	5+1 or 7+1 round tubular magazine
Operation	Pump-action	Pump-action
Rate of fire	Pump-action	Pump-action
Barrel length	475 mm	610 mm
Rifling	Smoothbore	Smoothbore
Muzzle velocity	?	?
Weight	?	3.2 kg
Stock	Fixed	Fixed
Length	1.08 m	1.08 m
Width	?	?
Height	?	?
Sights	Iron sights	Iron sights
Remarks	-	-

PA-8L

PA-8

The PA-8 is a further developed version of the PA-7. It differs in having a plastic pistol grip. The PA-8E has a fixed plastic stock, the PA-8I has a metal folding stock that folds over the top. Both models come with barrel lenghts of 18.5 or 24 inch, with the former being more common.

Statistics

Name:	PA-8E (18.5")	PA-8E (24")	PA-8L (18.5")	PA-8L (24")
Caliber	12ga 3"	12ga 3"	12ga 3"	12ga 3"
Magazine	5+1 or 7+1 round tubular magazine	5+1 or 7+1 round tubular magazine	5+1 or 7+1 round tubular magazine	5+1 or 7+1 round tubular magazine
Operation	Pump-action	Pump-action	Pump-action	Pump-action
Rate of fire	Pump-action	Pump-action	Pump-action	Pump-action
Barrel length	475 mm	610 mm	475 mm	610 mm
Rifling	Smoothbore	Smoothbore	Smoothbore	Smoothbore
Muzzle velocity	?	?	?	?
Weight	2.9 kg	3.1 kg	2.9 kg	3.0 kg
Stock	Fixed	Fixed	Foldable	Foldable
Length	0.94 m	1.08 m	0.93 m / 0.69 m	1.07 m / 0.83 m
Width	?	?	?	?
Height	?	?	?	?
Sights	Iron sights	Iron sights	Iron sights	Iron sights
Remarks	-	-	-	-