to stop the importation of the SPAS-12 with major losses of sales due to the legal restrictions invoked by the U.S. Assault Weapons Ban. Both importers placed numerous additional orders for the SPAS-12 that were never completely filled due to U.S. restrictions throughout importation. This was the reason for such few numbers of shotguns imported into the United States. Legality The 1994 federal "Crime Bill", signed into law by President Clinton on Sept. 13, 1994, included the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. The Act included provisions amending the Gun Control Act (GCA, 1968) to make it a federal crime for a private individual to possess or transfer (sell, give, etc.) an "assault weapon" manufactured after that date. [18 U.S.C. 922(v)]. "Assault weapons" manufactured on or before that date are "grandfathered," meaning that the law does not prohibit their possession or transfer. The law requires that "assault weapons" manufactured after September 13, 1994 be stamped with their date of manufacture or serial number to identify with factory date of manufacturing. SPAS-12 and LAW-12 shotguns are listed illegal for possession in states that hold a "military assault weapon style" law that identifies the shotguns by name on each state's individual ban. The states may have had a registration timeline that would allow it to be grandfathered before each state's individual ban. U.S. States and territories listed that ban the Franchi SPAS-12 and LAW-12 currently from future individual civilian possession are, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York. Users : Used by Brigada Especial Operativa Halcón. : Used by EKO Cobra. : Used by Grupo de Ações Táticas Especiais (GATE). : Chilean Gendarmerie : Used by GIGN : Komando Pasukan Katak (Kopaska) tactical group and Komando Pasukan Khusus (Kopassus) special-forces group. : Used by the Army Ranger Wing. : Used by police. : National Special Operations Force. : Used by Portuguese Armed Forces. : Turkish Gendarmerie. : Used by police SWAT teams. Non-state users Lebanese Forces Provisional Irish Republican Army See also Franchi SPAS-15 Benelli M4 List of shotguns Combat shotgun Notes The push-button cross bolt safety has also been known to fail and release the hammer when depressing the trigger on safe and it is recommended that the secondary Quick Employment Safety (lever tab on left side of trigger) is used on both the newer and older style trigger groups in place of