Spandau S2 Review: Economical Inertia

Spandau brings the rough-and-tumble inertia action to the masses with the S2.

Chances are, no matter your geographic point, you live hours—if not minutes—from a spit of land where you can call in or flush out one of the nation’s multitudes of avian game. Even better news: As far as hunting goes, wingshooting is one of the more affordable options on the table.

Certainly, you can pay a mint and take the Cadillac route to knock pintails out of the sky. But you needn’t. Over the past couple of decades, the price of decent shotguns has dropped to where they’re only slightly more than a good pair of boots or waders. Buyer beware: There are lemons in this class of gun. But with a little research, there are also gems.

This leads me to the Spandau S2.

With a predilection for downing Canada honkers, I was immediately interested in the semi-auto the moment I laid eyes on it at the 2025 SHOT Show. A semi-auto for less than many pumps? Has the floor fallen out of the market? Or, was this potentially a pretty face … without much to back it up?

Well north of 500 shells and a mountain of broken blue rock later, I’m pleased to say the budget blaster left a lasting impression.

Spandau S2 Specs

Gauge: 12-gauge
Chamber: 3 inches
Barrel Length: 28 inches
Stock: Polymer
Frame/Receiver Finish: Hydro-dip Realtree APX (also available in Realtree MAX-7, Mossy Oak Obsession, Mossy Oak Bottomland, Realtree MAX-7); Black
Capacity: 3+1
Sights: Fiber-optic front ; drilled and tapped receiver
Overall Weight: 6 pounds, 11 ounces
Choke Tube: Benelli/Mobil (cylinder, modified, ext. ported modified, full)
MSRP: $557

Inertia Impetus

The S2 is the first semi-auto from the newish brand Spandau Arms—imported by SDS Arms out of Knoxville, Tennessee. Mainly focusing on budget- to mid-tier over/unders before the S2, the Turkish-made guns have developed a solid reputation for affordable quality.

With an MSRP of $400 to $557 depending on the model, the 3-inch chambered 12-gauge semi has the honor of being the most affordable shotgun in the brand’s catalog. The asking price—likely $100 or so less at your local outdoor retail warehouse—also gives it the distinction of being among the most affordable shotguns, period.

The S2—like much of the recent hunting-focused semi-auto market—is inertia driven. I, like many hunters, prefer chasing game—not cleaning guns or mollycoddling their idiosyncrasies. Since the system isn’t as finicky as gas-driven semis—and has earned a reputation for running in any condition with any load—inertia actions have become a hunting-season favorite. Early muggy-season doves to late snowbound Canada geese, low brass to high, these guns just chug along.

In Full Control

Bird guns are a mature concept. In turn, improving the design is a marginal process. Yet for what qualifies as a budget shotgun, Spandau paid attention to the S2’s minutiae to produce a gun punching well above its monetary weight.

Given the gun seems tilted to waterfowlers and turkey hunters, the attention to the controls is especially appreciated. Everything here is enlarged and easy to find, from the large triangular cross-bolt safety to the prominent bolt release at the front of the receiver. The latter is also in line with the fore, making it quick to get the offhand in shooting position.

Spandau even tweaks the loading gate, enlarging the port and shortening the lifter. This was one of my favorite aspects of the gun. It loads fast, instinctively and sans a thumb bite.

Finally, the oversized, knurled charging handle is a nice touch. Cylindrical and easy to find, I was able to run the S2 as quickly as a tactical gun, charging over or under the receiver at an elevated pace.

Stock Stock

I’m a sucker for walnut on a shotgun, but the S2’s stock is the norm for today’s rough-and-tumble field guns. In short, it’s polymer. While the hollow knock of injection-molded plastic doesn’t exactly set my heart soaring, it’s well-formed, adjustable and adds to the gun’s light construction.

Spandau uses a shim system in the buttstock to allow the shooter to adjust the drop and cant with the shims, if so desired. I didn’t, but the option is there for you.

The forend is reminiscent of a certain Italian manufacturer’s semi-auto smoothbores, with a full belly tapering to slightly more than the barrel’s width up top. I like this design. It forms to the off-hand better and—to my mind—gives more control on a swing.

As for the fore and grip texture, it’s not aggressive, which worried me. I like checkering with some bite—even if it’s uncomfortable by day’s end—because the pain is worth a guaranteed purchase. Thankfully, the gun didn’t have to sink its teeth into me, as the texture proved adequate, even with moisture on the stock.

In Sight

Like many, I was raised on a brass bead on shotguns, and it feels like coming home with one on the rib. But as age and presbyopia have caught up with me, the S2’s fiber-optic front bead—backed up with a brass mid-rib bead—was a godsend. Bright in daylight and bright enough in flat light, it was simple to find quickly upon shouldering the gun.

Accoutrements

As light on the pocketbook as the S2 is, Spandau added a couple of extras generally not expected at this price point.

The stock and magazine nut have sling attachment points. The shell follower is a vivid red, evident when the magazine is cleared. The receiver is drilled and tapped, making the addition of optics mounts a simple matter of tightening screws. And Spandau offers the Realtree camo patterns MAX-7 Camo or APX, in addition to its base-model black. For the record, mine was in APX.

Rounding out the package is a set of removable chokes, four in all … including a ported modified. Given some of its other Italian design features, it’s no surprise the S2 is compatible with Benelli chokes.

Let the Clay Pigeons Fly

After several range sessions with the S2, I came away impressed. What Spandau offers here would cost a small fortune in tonier neighborhoods.

Out of the box, the gun fit me excellently—I could close my eyes, bring the gun to my shoulder and the bead was right in line. It functioned flawlessly from the get-go, and it was a blast to shoot. My general take after dusting many clays: It’s an out-and-out shooter, and a pleasant one at that.

What surprised me most shouldering the S2 was how light the gun was, even for the typically wispy inertia class. From the specs, the gun weighs 6.7 pounds—and I won’t dispute it. Its slight mass makes it thump a bit more—certainly more recoil than a gas gun—but not enough to make me hesitant.

The S2’s balance is slightly rear-biased—a trait that’s likely common among inertia-driven semi-autos, though I’ve never studied it formally. Despite that, the gun didn’t feel whippy and was easily controlled. In fact, I’d argue it made the S2 feel a bit nimbler when swinging on doubles.

Parting Shot

Looking to flex on your gear-snob buddies at the duck shack? The Spandau S2 isn’t for you. Looking to run a gun hard and put birds in the bag without draining your bank account? This gun is worth a look.

For under $557, you get a semi-auto that digests a wide range of loads, shrugs off rough weather and runs clean. It’s light on the shoulder, fast on the follow-up and—most importantly—reliable out of the box.

It’s a no-nonsense field gun built for work, not wall-hanging. In short, it’s a budget wing shooter engineered to get anyone into the field.

Spandau S2 Deals

Battlehawk Armory	$393
Midwest Gun Works	$393

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

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