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The SRM Arms SRM 1228 12-gauge 28+1 capacity semi-automatic shotgun utilizes a four tube rotary magazine designed for 1.75” long Aguila mini-shells. Its deceptively simple design means it can unload all 29 rounds in seconds. The 1228 is available in two color schemes: matte black and flat dark earth (FDE).

SRM Arms is currently headquartered in Martinsburg, West Virginia, about 10 miles northwest of Harpers Ferry. But it first started business over a decade ago in Boise, Idaho, founded by Jeff Hajjar. In fact, the company name SRM stands for Snake River Machine. The Snake River starts in the Wyoming part of Yellowstone National Park and then threads south of Boise. SRM makes all its guns in the USA with 100% American components.

A key early SRM project was an attempt to win a military RFP for shotguns. Though it didn’t win, it persisted and a result was the SRM 1216, introduced in 2008. The new for 2018 SRM 1228 was an evolution of this using the same magazine, but a shorter bolt block and correspondingly reengineered upper receiver. The 1216 holds 16 2.75” or 3” shells in its four tubes, while, as already mentioned, the 1228 holds 28 1.75” shells in the same.

The SRM 1228 is a bit of a reverse Gatling gun, which had 6 to 10 barrels to hand-crank fire belted ammunition. In contrast, the SRM 1228 has a detachable magazine comprised of four separate 7-round octagonal tubes that work in concert with the gun’s single 18.5” barrel.

The hammer forged barrel is threaded and enshrouded in an unusual handguard that has three Picatinny rails at 3, 9 and 12 o’clock. And, of course, the magazine is at 6 o’clock. This handguard’s lines integrate nicely and practically seamlessly with the steel upper receiver, which also has a Picatinny rail that continues behind the handguard’s 12 o’clock rail. The guns are sold without any optics so owners can install what suits them best.

Shells are loaded through the back of each tube. This rotating tube fascine revolves easily clockwise or counter-clockwise and functions as the foregrip.

At back is a Zytel reinforced polymer stock. It is straight for durability and has a thick black rubber recoil pad. The stock is non-adjustable and has a tactical 12.25” length of pull. This and the short barrel, etc., all contribute to the gun’s 33.75” overall length, which is far shorter than standard shotguns. It weighs 7.2 pounds unloaded and 9.4 pounds fully loaded. Trigger pull is just 6.2 pounds.

Recoil is so light because of its delayed roller blowback system. This system increases cycling and also cuts down on maintenance. The precision machined billet receiver is steel, but the gun is still lightweight in part due to its polymer grip and polymer stock. The grip has texturing and three finger recesses. The trigger guard is undercut for better ergonomics.

The receiver is built around a smaller bolt group designed to handle the 1.75” shells. It also has an ejection shield, which is very nice. Note though that the gun is not ambidextrous since the ejection port is on the right and cannot be reversed.

In front is a foregrip clasp that looks like a gas block. But it’s not. It is a magazine hangar housing that performs three functions: one, it locks the magazine in place for rotation and two, it houses the glove-friendly magazine release lever paddle and three, it serves as a base for a short Picatinny rail. Click the release paddle on the foregrip clasp to release the magazine and swap in a new one.

The Made in USA SRM 1228 semi-automatic shotgun is an intriguing minimalist design that has a high 28+1 capacity in a compact 33.75” overall length.

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