Editing Franchi SPAS-15 (section)

==Design==
[[File:SPAS15.jpg|thumb|The Franchi SPAS-15, a smoothbore shotgun, used by the Italian Army.]]
The weapon is based on the [[Franchi SPAS-12|SPAS-12]], and has similar [[pump-action]]/[[Semi-automatic firearm|semi-automatic]] firing modes. In semi-automatic mode, a gas piston drives a bolt carrier and rotating bolt. In pump-action mode, the same components are driven by sliding the fore-end backwards. Pump-action mode is required to reliably fire low-pressure (less lethal) ammunition such as [[tear gas]] rounds or [[less-lethal]] bean bags. Switching between firing modes is done by pressing a button above the foregrip, and sliding the foregrip slightly forwards or backwards. The barrel is chrome lined and features screw-in [[Shotgun#Pattern and choke|choke tubes]].<ref name="Jones">{{cite book|last = Jones| first = Richard| title = Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009-2010 | publisher = Jane's Information Group| year = 2009| isbn =978-0-7106-2869-5 | page =308}}</ref><ref name="Walter">{{cite book |last= Walter |first= John|author-link= |date= 2002|title= The World's Elite Forces: Small Arms and Accessories|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=5sS4OAAACAAJ|location= |publisher=  Greenhill|page= 57|isbn=9781853674969}}</ref>

Unlike its predecessor, the SPAS-15 is fed by a detachable box magazine.<ref name="Walter" /> The gun features either a fixed black wooden stock or a side folding metal stock. Both had the same pistol [[grip safety]]. 

Additionally, a semi-auto only variant called SPAS-16 was manufactured in small numbers.<ref name="Walter" />

Amongst Italian troops the weapon is known by the nickname "La Chiave dell'Incursore" (the key of the commando) because it is used to blast the locks of closed doors.{{cn|date=November 2023}}