The Dp-12 has been a topic of hot discussion in recent months. Some good, a lot of bad, and little ugly has been said but none of the talk was backed up with real world data. The snickering from within the industry had left me skeptical. After all–a bullpup shotgun has never been properly executed straight out of the gates. Bullpup shotguns have always been more of a novelty than realistic options for personal defense or hard use. Can the DP-12 break that mold?

With a bad taste in my mouth, I joked with my co-workers about giving the DP-12 a quick run through at range day. As our day began, I convinced the guys to head to the end of the line and give this behemoth a chance. After getting my hands on the gun, I quickly realized this wasn’t like the other bullpup shotguns on the market; this was something strangely different, and different in a great way.

The DP-12 is a shotgun that takes all the attributes of the competition and none of their flaws. It is easy to see its inspiration comes from the Kel-Tec KSG, but the similarities end with aesthetics. This gun leaves the KSG back in 2011 and brings the bullpup 12 gauge up to par. The most notable feature of the DP-12 is its dual barrels and loading ports. The gun uses a trigger mechanism modeled after a double barrel shotgun and inline feeding of a standard pump shotgun. The gun is effectively two pump shotguns welded together. Well maybe it isn’t that simple, but it’s easier to think of it that way.

The gun’s receiver is milled out of a solid billet of aluminum with separate inline loading channels. The one-piece aluminum construction makes the gun tougher, and less malfunction prone than its competition. Beyond its innovative loading system, the DP-12 is fully ambidextrous with ar-15 style rotational safeties, action lock releases, and its downward ejection path.

Most importantly the guns actually worked. Every stroke of the action, every shot we took worked. Shooting the gun is a different experience than any other weapon I have fired. The gun inspires double taps and requires both barrels to be fired before the action can be cycled. If you find yourself wanting both barrels loaded you can simply release the slide and refresh your chambers.

The $1400 price tag is justified by the capabilities of this weapon. Loaded, the gun holds 16 rounds of 2-3/4 twelve gauge shells. It has threaded barrels for chokes and stand-off devices. The stock houses a recoil reducing spring loaded recoil pad, and the gun has mounting surfaces for optics, grips, lights and lasers. All in all the DP-12 is a gun to watch for in the coming year. It is available exclusively through Cheaper Than Dirt, so don’t expect to see it at your local gun shop. If you’re in the market for a bullpup shotgun, make sure you give the DP-12 a second look.