Neostead update

Karanas

New member
Just received an email from them today.

NS NEWSLETTER No. 5 - October 2001

In January 2001 we took the decision to manufacture the NS shotgun ourselves.

Since then we have concentrated on getting the NS into full production in South Africa, setting a target of October 2001.

It proved to be tough on our small team of dedicated workers but the end result is that we will be assembling guns this November 2001.

During assembly of the first 100 guns we will commence with exhaustive testing again. Although we have proved that the NS can dispense and chamber a variety of 12 gauge ammunition, we plan to test the NS using the widest possible assortment of cartridge types i.e. : slugs (Penetrator), more familiar SSG, SG (Buck Shot) and Bird Shot as well as Bean Bag, Rubber Pellet and Gas type crowd control ammunition.

The NS comprises 145 items before welding the receiver, magazine and sear link assemblies together. After welding the NS comprises 113 parts.

In order for the NS to be financially viable at least 1000 each of most components have been purchased. As a result we are handling close to 80000 parts to manufacture our first 100 guns.

Plastic injection moulded parts, investment castings, metal stampings, laser cut parts, special pins, standard pins, springs and finally the all important machined parts have been and are still arriving in their thousands. The logistics of sorting thousands of parts into the various assemblies has been daunting and very satisfying.

We will launch the NS shotgun to the public at the AIM SHOOTERS SHOW held at Kyalami, outside Johannesburg, 1 - 3 March 2002. Here we will demonstrate the versatility of the NS using a wide range of projectiles and thereby the NS shotguns instant adaptability to handle any situation.

We do not yet have a BATF classification, therefore we cannot market into the USA at this point in time. :(

Of utmost importance is that any sales that we do conduct with people in other countries must follow the legal and correct procedures. Anyone outside South Africa wishing to purchase an NS shotgun must ascertain the correct procedure to follow for importation into his country and we will have the necessary documentation for export from South Africa. Do please bear in mind that we may not be allowed to sell arms into certain
countries.



http://users.iafrica.com/n/nj/njj741t/index.html
 
I'm interested in seeing how this does. But....

145 parts is a lot.This will NOT be very competitive in cost against current shotguns. Best I can figure from the parts drawings in Kuhnhausen's shop manual, the 870 has about 80 parts, including inconsequentials like grip caps and screws. More parts, higher cost, alas...
 
Just bumping this out of morbid curiousity, since it's been a good while. Did the BATF ever come any closer to classifying this? Did it ever enter production foreign climes? Any news or updates ever come down the pipe?
 
I'd be willing to bet that the BATF will try to classify the NeoStead as a Destructive Device the same way they did with the SPAS 12.
 
I don't think the SPAS was classified as a destructive device. It was only the Streetsweeper and USAS, which is why you never see them at gunshows (at least not in these parts). I've actually seen several SPAS-12s floating around recently.
 
I've seen a few SPAS-12s at gun shows as well...all ridiculously expensive, at least for a semiauto 2 3/4" twelve-gauge.

..a semi-automatic shotgun that has at least two of the following: a folding or telescoping stock; a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon; a fixed magazine in excess of five rounds; and an ability to accept a detachable magazine.

That's from the 1994 ban. Looks like a SPAS-12 qualifies.
 
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