The FRAG-12 is a specialized 12-gauge shotgun shell which contains a small amount of high explosive to breach intermediate barriers, defeat light armored vehicles and disrupt IEDs. The shell was designed by the Special Cartridge Company in London, England. Later its patent extended to Olympic Technologies Ltd in Gibraltar.
The shell uses a long metal body filled with of composition A5. Four folding fins spring out after leaving the muzzle. The shell arms at and explodes on impact by MIL SPEC 1316 fuze. It has a maximum range of .
A company called Combined Systems, Inc. sells FRAG-12 under the name FRAG12HE. The rounds have low popularity due to relative high cost to performance ratio, limited application, and being limited to military only purchase. Sales seem to be limited because of the wide array of other available rounds for military users in more suitable calibers such as 20ÃÂ30 mmB K-11, 20ÃÂ42 mmB PAW 20, 25ÃÂ40 mmB XM25, 25ÃÂ59 mmB LW25, 30ÃÂ29 mmB VOG-17, 35 mm CL DFS10 VOG-17, 35ÃÂ32 mmSR DF87, 40 mm CL VOG-25M, 40ÃÂ46 mmSR LV, 40ÃÂ51 mmSR MV, 40ÃÂ53 mmSR HV and 40 mm CL Balkan calibers used by the M203, M320, Milkor MGL, AG-C/EGLM, GP-25, and similar dedicated grenade launcher devices. The round was widely advertised with the Atchisson AA-12 assault shotgun.