Pistol grip on shotgun? Need your opinion.

[mogunner]

You would do better with a pistol.
I

you can tailor loads a lot easier with a shotgun to reduce the chances of over-penetration than you can with a pistol, yet still keep the ability to take an attacker down and out. You also have less chance of missing entirely using the shottie.

[Brake Weight]

I put a Speedfeed on my old 870 and an 18.5" threaded barrel I had to order direct from Remington by phone. All said and done, it was a little more than I wanted to pay for a barrel. But being that the barrel was threaded for chokes, it opened up more options. I still have all the old hardware and if I want to hunt with a 12g, there's the other two on the rack. I play around with it using cheap boxes of birdshot and can also make a bucket dance across the back yard.


Here's the pistol grip buttstock with a slug barrel on it. I have the long smooth bore, as well. Still keeping an eye out for a beat up pawn shop special to use the extra pieces on.

[Longcolt44]

I chose to build a short barreled model mainly because if I am in my bedroom and someone is stupid enough to break in I need to be able to work around a short narrow hallway. I don't need to have to fight a long barrel at that time.

[Ironnewt]

You would do better with a pistol.
I

you can tailor loads a lot easier with a shotgun to reduce the chances of over-penetration than you can with a pistol, yet still keep the ability to take an attacker down and out. You also have less chance of missing entirely using the shottie.

Tailoring loads to prevent over penetration? Just as easy if not more so if you use a revolver. That lack of penetration may end up being No Penetration. You can miss just as easily with a shotgun. I see it regularly with guys using full stocked guns.

[mogunner]

18" barrel, cylinder choke, 00buck low recoil. You have 8 .33 caliber pellets, just a mathematical probability that with the larger area covered that it would easier to hit your target than with a single projectile of a similar size.

[millman]

Ask millman when he comes along. He shot my Mossberg with an 18 1/2 inch barrel one handed. His wrist will heal soon. I hope.

What was the name of that hand and wrist doctor again, Chuck?

[Longcolt44]

Hey M, you will be happy to know that I removed the 34 shells from the snake getter. I replaced it with 00 buck

[A J]

I ended up getting the Hogue pistol grip. It looks good, feels good and I think I'm going to like shooting it. I'll let you know at the end of this month when I shoot it. THanks everyone.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Hey M, you will be happy to know that I removed the 34 shells from the snake getter. I replaced it with 00 buck

All I ever have in mine when it's not on the range is OOO buck magnum. If I ever have to use it outside of the range then there will be no time for warning shots, or screwing around. The first shot needs to finish the problem, and it would be a weapon of last ditch defense.

[websterz]

I had #4 high base duck and pheasant loads in it.

That's just plain cruel... but also funny as hell!! I was out yesterday with my buddy and his brother, the latter was breaking in his new Binelli 12 gauge. He was shooting your basic 2 3/4" #8 field loads and getting pretty cocky. He went to answer nature's call and while he was gone some 3" high brass #4 turkey loads somehow got into the magazine. Damnedest thing I ever saw.

[Junk Yard Dog]

[A J]

I had #4 high base duck and pheasant loads in it.

That's just plain cruel... but also funny as hell!! I was out yesterday with my buddy and his brother, the latter was breaking in his new Binelli 12 gauge. He was shooting your basic 2 3/4" #8 field loads and getting pretty cocky. He went to answer nature's call and while he was gone some 3" high brass #4 turkey loads somehow got into the magazine. Damnedest thing I ever saw.

Sounds like your brother inadvertently mixed up a heavy shell with his lightweight ones. He should really be more careful next time.

[Rongo]

I am a fan of Mogunner's second option. A full stock with pistol grip, either with or without collapsible stock.

Agreed.

[A J]

I am a fan of Mogunner's second option. A full stock with pistol grip, either with or without collapsible stock.

Agreed.

My wife's 870 is rigged up with a pistol grip with a collapsible stock. She likes it.

So far I like the look and feel and handling of the Hogue pistol grip, though I haven't shot it yet. I'm still fussing with the sling. Can't decide between attaching to the top of the pistol grip or the bottom. The top is nice because it allows a real comfortable frontal carry. The bottom is nice because it keeps the sling out of the way when shooting. I'm going to dink with it some more this morning and am slightly favoring the bottom mount. Decisions... decisions...

[entropy]

I had #4 high base duck and pheasant loads in it.

That's just plain cruel... but also funny as hell!! I was out yesterday with my buddy and his brother, the latter was breaking in his new Binelli 12 gauge. He was shooting your basic 2 3/4" #8 field loads and getting pretty cocky. He went to answer nature's call and while he was gone some 3" high brass #4 turkey loads somehow got into the magazine. Damnedest thing I ever saw.

SImilar things have been done to DEDCAT; 3 .38 wadcutters, followed by 3 of my infamous "firing pin cracking" compressed Blue Dot 125 HP .357's.

SWMBO and a friend and I went shooting with my Redhawk. (many years ago.) I had loaded up some nice light .44 Spl. loads for her to shoot, and she was dang good with them. When it was said friend's turn, I put 6 of my 300 gr. Moose loads in. He fired one, missed, dang near dropped the gun, and handed it back to me with a new respect for SWMBO. I didn't tell him for several years what I'd done. (He'd been bragging he 'could take it' .)

I prefer a pistol grip stock (I have a SpeedFeed III on my 870) to a pistol grip alone; As JYD notes, it takes a bit of practice with one to be proficient. Most folks just toss up dirt in front of the target with them. I'd like to try the SpeedFeed pistol grip, the angle looks like it'd make it more accurate.

[Junk Yard Dog]

He fired a weapon without checking the load? Well, that's his bad then, I always pop the cylinder and have a look, even if I was the one who loaded the piece. On the range I load from my speedloaders so I see everything as it goes in anyway. I am the only one who fires the pistol grip shotgun, I don't even bother bringing it along on range trips anymore as nobody has the balls to try it. Limp wristed pistol shooters as most of my friends all are, they find my US M1903 to be " too hard" but love the 91/59 Mosin, go figure. The only one of them who can handle anything I hand him is a retire Navy lifer who has had SP training, he let go both barrels at once while firing the short barrel double, then went and did it again.

[BenedictGomez]

I've never understood the point of a short, pistol-gripped, shotgun.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I've never understood the point of a short, pistol-gripped, shotgun.

The door opens, you look up from the counter to see a ski mask and a cheap .32, in the one second you have to react you move your hand from the chair armrest to the shotgun clamped under the counter. The front of the counter explodes, the skells shredded balls and lower GI tract hit the wall behind him before the rest of him hits the floor, you live for another day. That's what you use a short barrel pistol grip shotgun for.

[mogunner]

It makes for a much more natural "point and shoot" ability. With a standard stock you're more likely to shoot low from the hip unless you've practiced a LOT with it. It's much more maneuverable in close quarters such as inside your house as well. I still have the Hogue that I bought for my shotty in case I end up getting another one of the 870 clones to keep in that setup, with the pistol grip stock on mine I can at least still hunt some gobblers with it as it is without having to switch back and forth.

[BenedictGomez]

I've never understood the point of a short, pistol-gripped, shotgun.

The door opens, you look up from the counter to see a ski mask and a cheap .32, in the one second you have to react you move your hand from the chair armrest to the shotgun clamped under the counter. The front of the counter explodes, the skells shredded balls and lower GI tract hit the wall behind him before the rest of him hits the floor, you live for another day. That's what you use a short barrel pistol grip shotgun for.

Well, okay, that's a pretty finite, limited, use.lol.

My point was (and I'm sure you got it) that they're pretty useless generally speaking, and there's a better shotgun mousetrap for almost any application. Other than the "clamped under the counter" scenario, I'd much rather have your standard 18" full stock generalist self-defense shotgun (Winchester defender 1300, Mossberg 500, yada, yada, yada).