Hand-Picked Daily GUN DEALS, and Exclusive Coupons Codes >>>
We review products independently. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission to help support our testing. Learn more.

[Video+Review] Omega Arms AR12: Budget AR Shotgun?

Omega AR12 Shooting
Omega AR12 Shooting
We try our hand at the Omega Arms AR12 -- a Turkish, 12-gauge, semi-auto shotgun. It's budget-friendly, but is it worth your cash? Come find out.
We review products independently. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission to help support our testing. Learn more.
JUMP TO SECTION Jump To:

    One universal truth I think we can all agree on is that…shotguns are just plain fun.

    Doesn’t matter the make or model. Nine times out of 10, you’re going to have a great day blasting away at the range with a shotgun.

    Omega AR12 Right Side
    Omega Arms AR12

    And today, we’re taking a look at a very affordable, Turkish semi-auto model from Omega Arms.

    Of course, I’m talking about the 12-gauge Omega Arms AR12.

    With a street price sitting at around $399 right now, is this wallet-friendly shottie a contender?

    Omega AR12 Shooting
    Is this a shotgun you should consider?

    Well, I took it for a test spin to find out. Keep reading as we dive into this platform a little more, and I give you my full range report.

    If you prefer seeing things in action, check out my full video review below.

    As always, hop on over to Pew Pew Tactical on YouTube to see more gun shenanigans and reviews.

    Table of Contents

    Loading...

    Omega AR12: Whose It For?

    Before we just jump right in, let’s address the elephant in the room…

    Yeah, this shotgun looks sorta mall ninja-ish. And this is by no means a serious tactical shotgun outfitted for home defense or trench warfare. It’s just not.

    Omega AR12 Left Side
    Yeah…it looks like it costs under $400.

    What it is, though, is a fun shotgun – which we’ll get into later.

    But I want to be upfront about it so all you super serious shotgun guys don’t yell at me in the comments.

    399.00
    at Gunprime

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Available Coupons

    So, with that out of the way, who is this gun for?

    This 12-gauge semi-auto shotgun is perfect for folks who like to shoot pumpkins in the fall or blow holes in pizza boxes.

    In short, anyone who just wants a Sunday fun day at the range.

    Specs & Features

    As far as specs, it’s sort of tough to find specifics as the Omega Arms website isn’t exactly forthcoming with data…but here’s what I know.

    You get a choice of barrel lengths — 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, or 29-inches – and a 5+1 or 10+1 capacity (depending on mag).

    Omega AR12 Right Side

    Aside from that, it comes outfitted with plastic, lots of plastic.

    Starting near the front is what I think is a fake suppressor. Or maybe a barrel shroud?

    But to be honest, I don’t know what’s going on. (Which is kind of a theme with this gun…but more on that in a minute.)

    Omega AR12 Fake Suppressor
    Fake suppressor…um okay.

    Continuing down the shotgun, the rail offers plenty of space for adding lights or lasers.

    So feel free to upgrade this bad boy as much as you want. Honestly, I like when I can customize, so I appreciate this feature.

    Omega AR12 Rail
    The rail is a nice addition.

    The flat-top rail obviously didn’t ship with sights installed, but I dug around and found some plastic sights in the box.

    Using a Fix-It Stick toolset (great to have on hand, by the way), I popped the sights on pretty easily.

    Omega AR12 Fix It Sticks Sights
    Fix-It Sticks to the rescue!

    The handguard sports an all-plastic design complete with…fake Keymod. Yeah, I’m as perplexed as y’all on that one.

    Though I can’t really explain the fake Keymod, I can say the trigger feels pretty solid with no uptake. It breaks okay, and the reset is clear.

    Omega AR12 Keymod
    First a fake suppressor now fake Keymod??

    The AR12’s stock is huge and…you guessed it…polymer. But it does sport a cheek riser which is sort of cool.

    Ergonomics are actually pretty good.

    Omega AR12 Stock

    It offers a side charging handle and magazine release like you’d find on just about any semi-auto long gun profile.

    Controls feel familiar and are placed where’d you expect them, so no surprises there – hassle-free on day one.

    Omega AR12 Controls

    I think the grip feels all right, while the angled grip upfront feels great!

    As far as aesthetics, the Omega logo comes painted or silk-screened in white, and a big AR12 is plastered on the side.

    Omega AR12 Logo
    Omega logo

    We assume the AR12 is in reference to Armalite’s AR-12 – also a shotgun. (You can read more about that here.)

    It comes with a hard-shell plastic box and lots of goodies, including a cleaning kit, oil, sights, and a sling. All you gotta supply is ammo, and you’re ready to go.

    MSRP right now sits at $589, but again, street price is closer to $399.

    Omega AR12 in Box
    Look at all those goodies.

    Range Time

    For this test, I used Kent Number 7 target loads and the two mags that came with the AR12.

    Omega AR12 Kent Number 7

    Right off the bat, the AR12 shoots really well. At 7.5-pounds, it eats up some of the recoil. But, of course, autoloaders feel a bit easier on the shoulder.

    Couple hundred rounds through it, and I think fun is the right word for it.

    Omega AR12 Shooting
    It shoots well!

    I experienced two failures – both were double feeds. But, again, I used low brass target loads.

    I’d love to see how it runs with some high brass magnums.

    Omega AR12 Double Feed
    Double Feed

    Accuracy-wise the Omega performed great inside the 25-yard range.

    Again, this isn’t a precision shooter but something fun to take out to the range or field and just plink with.

    Bottom Line

    I like the overall package and all the accoutrements – cleaning kit, mags, hard-shell case, and sling. It’s a decent value if you don’t like piecing these accessories together yourself.

    Omega AR12 Shooting
    Decent value.

    Also, the rail space was nice. I was able to dial in and customize it the way I wanted, which I appreciated.

    And finally, yeah, that price is nice, especially when you don’t want to or can’t spend a ton on a shotgun.

    As far as shortcomings, this is less on the gun and more on my choice, but I wish I would have gotten the 7+1 option instead of the 5+1.

    Omega AR12 Mags
    AR12 Mags

    More ammo, more boom, more fun…you get the picture.

    I also would prefer if this shotgun was American-made, but it’s not.

    Omega AR12 Shooting

    While yes, I had two double feeds, I think we need to be realistic about this package.

    It’s a super affordable shotgun. Period. It will not perform like a high-end model, so as long as you set your expectations appropriately, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

    Omega AR12 Shooting

    By the Numbers

    Reliability: 3.5/5

    Couple of double feeds but otherwise ran pretty well for me.

    Ergonomics: 4/5

    Funny thing, even though it’s covered in plastic and looks like a generic video game gun…the ergos are great. That angled foregrip gets a big thumbs up. (Please don’t judge me.)

    Omega AR12 Sights and Shooting

    Accuracy: 4/5

    This may be higher, but I didn’t fire any rifled slugs. At short distances, it did great.

    Customization: 3/5

    At first glance, the AR12 looks like it has lots of room for activities — but you can’t change out the grip, stock, or handrail. And that fake Keymod is fool’s gold. You’re left with some rail space up top and on the forend.

    Value: 4/5

    Lot of value here. Hard-shell case, iron sights, strap, and a cleaning kit. Not bad.

    399.00
    at Gunprime

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Available Coupons

    Overall: 3.5/5

    This affordable range gun will bring a smile to your face. Pumpkins beware.

    Conclusion

    As long as you go into the Omega Arms AR12 knowing it’s a $399 semi-auto shotgun, a lot of the mall ninja corniness becomes tolerable.

    Omega AR12 Shooting
    Omega AR12 Shooting

    Again, I’m not taking this to Afghanistan or sitting it beside the bed for bad guys. But for a Sunday at the range with some watermelons or pumpkins…sign me up.

    In short, the AR12 makes for a fun range shotgun at a reasonable price.

    399.00
    at Gunprime

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Prices accurate at time of writing

    Available Coupons

    Watch the Omega Arms AR12 in action by checking out the video below.

    What do you think of the AR12? Let us know in the comments below. While the AR12 is great for pumpkins, it lacks in home defense. So, hop on over to the Best Home-Defense Tactical Shotguns to shop for your next bedside gun.

    The Best Gun Deals, Coupons and Finds

    Subscribe to Pew Pew Tactical's sales and deals email.

    11 Leave a Reply

    • Commenter Avatar
      Andrew

      If it was accurate to 25 yards, why is it not good as a home defense shotgun? Why "not self-defense, not home defense, don't trust your life with this gun"? 25 yards seems to be plenty of distance to be accurate in a self-defense situation, no?

      December 6, 2022 9:25 am
    • Commenter Avatar
      Andrew Turnbull

      I shoot lefty. Some of the pictures and video show someone shooting lefty. Is this ambidextrous-compatible? If not, is the right-side ejection problematic for a lefty shooter? Thanks.

      December 6, 2022 9:14 am
    • Commenter Avatar
      Jon Schraer

      What's the best drum mag to get for this shotgun?

      November 18, 2022 7:32 am
    • Commenter Avatar
      Vulcan

      The experienced with any of the Turk made semi-auto's say they DEMAND HI-Brass during break in, correct gas rings if they give you options and about 50 wasted, expensive, quality Hi-brass rounds to approach entry level break-in. Yeah, I hate wasting the GOOD STUFF too.

      The MKA 1919 Pro, V2 is actually a Turkish Army issue option depending on unit, so seems once PROPERLY broken in, should be pretty good to go, getting more reliable the more you put rounds through it. (WIKI)

      These military-ish looking semi-auto's are not a toy and plenty good for more than pumpkins, as in full on zombie attacks. I did appreciate Johnny B mentioning he did NOT use Hi-Brass, but that is REQUIRED for at LEAST break-in with these. The MKA 1919 gives you TWO gas rings!! You have it set up for zombie attacks and 00 buck, ya want the correct gas ring, and again, should be good. It's NOT TRYING to make one gas ring work for BOTH hi and low brass, defense and bird shot. MOST folks are buying these for zombies, not birds. They are plenty accurate to the effective range of the gun with oo buck which is 50-75 feet UNLESS you are using the rifled slugs which are pretty accurate to 75-90 yards at minute of bad guy!

      Finally, for an older person with two bad shoulders, or one bad pump arm shoulder, these are a godsend. They can NOT pump a pump shotgun very vigorously or fast. And remember, with your tube fed shell semi-auto, once you fire THAT tube empty, you're DONE. You would NOT have time to reload your tube, whereas, the mag fed can just slap another 5 or 10 rd mag in and go.

      Be aware, one mag DOES NOT FIT ALL in these semi-auto Turk jobs. So, get the ones made for yours. The BP-12 bullpup 12ga, semi-auto has a slightly different mag than the MKA 1919, so best to get what's offered for your gun. Soon as Obama/Biden issues new gun decrees, you're not buying ANY mags like this again. Get the right ones.

      August 11, 2021 2:03 pm
      • Commenter Avatar
        Chris PNichols

        Vulcan, would you know on the Omega AR 12 with just one collar would the high with arrow point out of the gun or back into the gun ?

        June 29, 2022 5:42 pm
        • Commenter Avatar
          Vulcan

          Hi.... I don't have one of those so can't answer. Best to contact the mfg or search for an owners manual.

          June 30, 2022 11:04 am
        • Commenter Avatar
          Dale Ingwersen

          My son bought one and it states on it arrow out of gun for high opposite for low.

          February 1, 2023 6:14 pm
    • Commenter Avatar
      Mike

      As someone who has limited, ok no experience with magazine fed shotguns is there an industry standard for the magazine ? Otherwise looks like a fun gun to shoot .

      July 8, 2021 8:48 pm
      • Commenter Avatar
        Vulcan

        Some are, some are not. Good to check the fine print. I know for a fact my two do NOT use the same, though they look really close.

        June 30, 2022 11:04 am
    • Commenter Avatar
      Jeff Wisoff

      I sugges6 taking a look at the JTS line of semi-auto 12 Guage rifles in AR-15 and AK-47 pattern. All the rifles' parts are manufactured for serious shooting. I picked up a JTS M12AK for $399. I found it to be a reliable shooter and Gun-Tests magazine gave at an A- rating in their October 2018 edition.

      July 8, 2021 3:38 pm
      • Commenter Avatar
        Jeffrey Wisoff

        This was a shotgun write up.. JW

        July 11, 2021 4:06 pm
    Join the community! Log in
    Please provide a valid email address.
    Password is required.
    or
    Register
    Please provide a valid display name.
    Please provide a valid email address.
    The password should contain at least 8 characters with at least one number or special character.
    Please accept in order to continue.
    By unsubscribing, you will not be able to access exclusive training courses in your profile. You will still be able to save and access your products and articles.
    or
    Trouble logging in?
    Type your email address and we’ll send you a link to reset your password.
    Please provide a valid email.
    Password
    Type your new password and hit button below to confirm it.
    Field is required.
    Account already exists
    We already have an account registered for email address () which is linked to your Facebook account.
    To log in type your Pew Pew Meter password below.
    Field is required.
    Account already exists
    We noticed that you have previously logged in with your Account which is linked to the same email address () - we can link both of your accounts together.
    In order to link your accounts, hit button below and log in to your Account with the same email as above.

    Account in Pew Pew Tactical means more.

    Login or create a free account to get the following
    Access and save hundreds of reviews, gun guides, and articles!
    Find the best daily deals on guns, gear, and ammo
    Manage your newsletter subscriptions and comments
    pew pew tactical logo

    new here?

    Personalize your experience.
    Select what level shooter you are!

    pew pew tactical logo

    level up your gun knowledge

    Thanks! We'll send you the latest guides and training tips geared towards your level.

    pew pew tactical logo

    welcome!

    You'll now receive newsletters of our best articles on techniques, guns & gear.

    $47 value

    yours free!

    targets targets
    free

    practice targets

    printer icon printable

    our 9 favorite targets and drills

    free

    practice targets

    printer icon printable

    enter your email to download

    We'll only use the information provided according to our privacy policy.

    success icon

    Ready to Download

    Click below to begin your download

    download pdf