If you have a lever safety on your SPAS 12 or related family of shotguns it is very important you know that those safeties were recalled years ago. There is an engineering fault that will cause the gun to fire when you take the safety off "SAFE". It is *your responsibility* to inform everyone you invite to shoot your SPAS 12 of this defect.
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If your lever safety currently works, that does not mean you are immune to this problem, as it seems to be a question of "when, not if" as they will all eventually wear themselves to a point they will fail.
Lever Safety Warning
How To Fix It
Franchi USA/Benelli/Beretta have all but disowned the SPAS 12 and do not handle any recall work for them. The original importers went bankrupt during the recall (FIE) so American Arms handled all the rest of the recalls.
American Arms closed around the year 2000. There is word that they simply became Tristar Arms, however I've called them and they insist that is not the case, and they have no information regarding the SPAS 12 or it's recall.
The purchaser of the remaining inventory of the SPAS 12's in the United States has told us that no recall work was done in the US, trigger groups were swapped out with converted ones directly from Franchi. The lever groups removed from American guns were then sent back to Franchi to be converted and sent back to the US for swap, and so-on.
If your shotgun wasn't sent in during the recall the only option for converting your trigger group currently available is through the SPAS 12 Project Safety Conversion service.
It is possible to replace your lever safety trigger group with a crossbolt safety trigger group from another SPAS-family gun, however that is generally cost prohibitive with intact groups fetching $400+ on the rare occasion they come around.
(Click to Enlarge) Public Recall Notice posted in Guns & Ammo 08/91
What to Do If You Have a A Lever Safety
The good news, is that every SPAS 12 is equipped with two safeties, so you are never unable to deactivate your trigger. On the other side of the trigger guard is the auto-safety lever, toggle this and your trigger will be deactivated (and your action unlocked).
BE SAFE! Your SPAS 12 is a firearm (not a movie prop) and should be treated with as much respect as any other firearm. If you partake in the greatest part of SPAS 12 ownership, which is letting others enjoy it, please take the responsibility to let them know that your safety can potentially cause the gun to fire. The most trustworthy safety, just like on any other firearm, is your finger. If you are being a competent gun owner and employing the basic 4 rules of safety you shouldn't ever run in to a problem. Enjoy your SPAS safely!
Or, as mentioned above you can now send it in for conversion from the SPAS 12 Project.
Note: There is a myth circulating that the lever safeties will cause the gun to no longer be considered "drop-safe". This is patently untrue. The only part that causes the safety to fire the gun is the safety itself, no other action than pulling the trigger or deactivating the safety has any effect on the sear or hammer which would enable it to fire.