Joint Service Combat Shotgun

The Joint Service Combat Shotgun was a 1995 joint program to select and field a lightweight, semiautomatic, 12-gauge shotgun to replace pump action shotguns formerly in use by each of the military services.

Marine firing the M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun (JCSC), Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA, 7 November 2003.
Marine firing the M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun (JCSC), Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA, 7 November 2003.

Today in WW II: 3 Jul 1940 British shell French ships at Oran, Algeria. More ↓
3 Jul 1942 Germans prevail in the Siege of Sevastopol, after an eight month struggle, seizing the site of the Soviets' main naval base on the Black Sea.
3 Jul 1944 Minsk retaken by Soviet Red Army.
Visit the Olive-Drab.com World War II Timeline for day-by-day events 1939-1945! See also WW2 Books.

Requirements for the Joint Service Combat Shotgun (JSCS)

The Marine Corps acted as the lead service for the program, with the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard participating.

Lance Cpl. Centrell Harris, Provost Marshal's Office, engages her target with the Benelli M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun (JSCS) at the Beaufort County Range, SC, 24 August 2004
Lance Cpl. Centrell Harris, Provost Marshal's Office, engages s target with the Benelli M1014 Joint Service Combat Shotgun (JSCS) at the Beaufort County Range, SC, 24 August 2004.

The Combat Shotgun to be procured and fielded was required to satisfy the following operational and physical requirements described in the Joint Operational Requirement Document and further amplified in the contract Purchase Description:

  • Capable of semiautomatic operation.
  • Capable of firing standard DoD 2.75-inch, 12-gauge No. 00 buckshot, and other shot shells and slug ammunition
  • Have a maximum effective range of at least 40 meters with the DOD standard 2.75-inch No. 00 buckshot ammunition, and 100-125 meters with slug ammunition.
  • Have a length up to 41.75 inches and be capable of reconfiguration to 36 inches or less
  • Weigh no more than 8.5 pounds (six pounds desired) unloaded
  • Be equipped with Low Light Level iron sights and a standard U.S. Military accessory mounting rail integral to the upper receiver, to permit use of other sight enhancement devices

Intended use of the Joint Service Combat Shotgun

Joint Service Combat Shotgun

The M1014 Combat Shotgun will be used by all the armed services for missions in all types of warfare to include the execution of security/interior guard operations, rear area security operations, guarding prisoners of war, raids, ambushes, military operations in urban terrain, and selected special operations.

JSCS Becomes the M1014 Combat Shotgun

In response to Solicitation # DAAE30-98-R-0401 issued by the U.S. Army Armaments Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ on 4 May 1998 for the new 12 gauge, semi-automatic Joint Services Combat Shotgun, Benelli Armi S.P.A. of Urbino, Italy developed the Benelli M4 Super 90 Combat Shotgun System and submitted it for military trials.

In 1999 the Benelli M4 Super 90 was selected and the US military adopted it as the Joint Services Combat Shotgun, M1014. Some weapons experts found this choice disappointing, favoring a more versitile design that would be a combined pump and semi-automatic, an advantage with low impulse rounds that may not work a semi-automatic action. This approach was considered, and Benelli among others makes such a shotgun, but this was not adopted.

In November 2000, the Marine Corps received the first 400 of a planned procurement of 3,997 of the M-1014.

Find More Information on the Internet

There are many fine websites that have additional information on this topic, too many to list here and too many to keep up with as they come and go. Use this Google web search form to get an up to date report of what's out there.

For good results, try entering this: joint service combat shotgun. Then click the Search button.