I would like to understand the purpose of the pistol grip shotgun. What is the most practical application of this type of shotgun and under what circumstances would it be necessary/useful/beneficial in a self defense situation? Are there any significant advantages over a short barrel shotgun with a stock?
What is the purpose of a pistol grip shotgun?
- Thread starter CTGunner
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
No.
If you want to hit what you shoot at, and follow up with fast additional shots, a stock is absolutely necessary.
I think a pistol-grip shotguns practical applications are door opening by SWAT & Military using breaching rounds, TV & Movie action shows, and of course, fantasy video games.
rc
If you want to hit what you shoot at, and follow up with fast additional shots, a stock is absolutely necessary.
I think a pistol-grip shotguns practical applications are door opening by SWAT & Military using breaching rounds, TV & Movie action shows, and of course, fantasy video games.
rc
benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
Are you talking about stocked shotguns with pistol grips, or stockless pistol-grip-only designs?
highorder
Member
Sure. A new stock will cost you less than $50.
Milkmaster
Member
The purpose? hmmm... to me the only purpose is to bruise the heck out of the user and let him spend more on ammo because he missed what he thought he was aiming at in the first place. Seriously!
benEzra
Moderator Emeritus
Yes. You can add a conventional straight stock, straight stock with pistol grip, or folding stock with pistol grip; basically, whatever configurations Mossberg 500's come in.
Carl N. Brown
Member
Pistol grip only shotguns tend to get held low and shot low. I have a pistolgrip shotgun with a laser sight for inconspicuous bedside table storage and have put several boxes of ammo through the gun to get a good feel for how it shoots.
Right off the bat, for sport and home defense I would recommend the Mossberg with the conventional stock (knowing some buy a shotgun for home defense w/o being able to do a lot of range time). Pistol grip only is very limiting.
Right off the bat, for sport and home defense I would recommend the Mossberg with the conventional stock (knowing some buy a shotgun for home defense w/o being able to do a lot of range time). Pistol grip only is very limiting.
chuckusaret
member
The pistol grip shotgun is very functional for HD and its use can be improved with practice. If a person can not point and shoot and needs to aim with a long gun within the confined spaces of the average house is in deep trouble IMO. I suggest he should mount a laser on his weapon..
ozarkgunner
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I shortened my Mossy500 by shortening the barrel and removing the stock and adding a pistol grip only. I can't hunt with it any more, I have rotator cuff damage so my sholder can't take it. I have taken it to the range and have found that for my HD use as planned, it is plenty accurate. And just recently i had to pull it out to investigate a "bump" outside the other night. I also added an LED light. The shortened barrel and the pistol grip made getting down the hall and out the back door, much easier.
i find the pistol grip makes for a more natural shooting stance with the shotgun. Just as many pistols are more naturally handled and aimed, so too with the shot gun. While I don't plan to use it single handed, it does make for a better handling HD shotgun in my opinion.
I didn't do it for the "cool" factor, as it is not something that I put on display.
i find the pistol grip makes for a more natural shooting stance with the shotgun. Just as many pistols are more naturally handled and aimed, so too with the shot gun. While I don't plan to use it single handed, it does make for a better handling HD shotgun in my opinion.
I didn't do it for the "cool" factor, as it is not something that I put on display.
ozarkgunner
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Has anyone else switched to a pistol grip on their HD gun and found it advantagious? What are your experiences with the switch? Some one decided it was worth a shot, excuse the pun, and they have become popular. If it wasn't a good idea or a good seller, I doubt there would be as many manufacturers and retailers of them.
oneounceload
member
No, for me - I went the other way - I bought that cruiser model decades ago when they were "cool"....a few shots and an aftermarket stock was secured and installed and has been on it ever since...PGO's, IMO, are a waste of time and money
earlthegoat2
Member
Even though I preach that a shotgun with a proper stock will be the most effective tool for the job, with sufficient practice a PGO shotgun can be nearly as effective.
Long story short: A relative noob with a little trigger time on a properly stocked shotgun will be just as good or better as an experienced PGO shotgun wielder.
Long story short: A relative noob with a little trigger time on a properly stocked shotgun will be just as good or better as an experienced PGO shotgun wielder.
M2 Carbine
member
To make the shotgun shorter, more compact.
Recently, because bursitis in my joints is bothering me again I put the full stocks back on my shotguns. I like to have a PGO shotgun since it's handy around the place.
Even though I like the PGO shotgun for some applications, I discourage people from getting them. Mainly because seldom will a person take the time and expense to learn to use the gun correctly. So they are better off with the simple to use full stock shotgun.
I can verify the previous posts.
I bought one of the Serbu Super Shorties: an 870 with a pistol grip only and 6.5" barrel.
It is very difficult to hit with. It shoot several feet higher than you think it would when you are pointing it at the target.
And, last but not least, the recoil is ferocious. I actually had the gun fly out of my hands and land behind me twice the first day (and only day) I fired it.
There is something to be said for having an extremly compact, yet very potent weapon. but it does you no good if you can't hit anything with it.
I am sure that having a longer barrel would help things quite a bit. But to answer your question, the only reason for one that I know of is that it is compact and easy to manuver. If you have some need for an extremly compact shotgun, removing the stock is one way way to approach things. This is also the easier avenue because it doesn't require a tax stamp. For something like home defense, using a full stock is a much better option.
I bought one of the Serbu Super Shorties: an 870 with a pistol grip only and 6.5" barrel.
It is very difficult to hit with. It shoot several feet higher than you think it would when you are pointing it at the target.
And, last but not least, the recoil is ferocious. I actually had the gun fly out of my hands and land behind me twice the first day (and only day) I fired it.
There is something to be said for having an extremly compact, yet very potent weapon. but it does you no good if you can't hit anything with it.
I am sure that having a longer barrel would help things quite a bit. But to answer your question, the only reason for one that I know of is that it is compact and easy to manuver. If you have some need for an extremly compact shotgun, removing the stock is one way way to approach things. This is also the easier avenue because it doesn't require a tax stamp. For something like home defense, using a full stock is a much better option.
If your job is to roll around in the SWAT van, blowing the locks off the doors at meth labs and the like, you have bought the right shotgun in the right configuration. If you are like the rest of us and want to hit things more than two inches away for any reason, you would be much better served with a shoulder stock. They are cheap, plentiful, and easy to install yourself with simple tools (usually just a long screwdriver).
MudPuppy
Member
A mossberg is designed for your hand to be wrapped around a conventional stock, with the thumb over the top. The safety is located there, but with a pistol grip (with or without stock), the thumb is way out of position. With a winchester or remington, the safety is near the index finger so pistol grips are more natural. Imho, of course.
Sunray
Member
"...purpose of the pistol grip shotgun..." Marketing. The most useless thing on Earth is a shotgun with no stock. There's no control whatsoever. A pistol gripped stock isn't the same thing though.
"...so too with the shotgun..." Nope. Unless you live in a phone booth.
"...so too with the shotgun..." Nope. Unless you live in a phone booth.
ryanthewells
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I'm guessing anyone who says pgo shotguns are only useful for breaching and you can't hit anything have never actually owned or shot more then a few shells through one.
I got one as a gift from a family member and was in the group that thought they were useless until I started using one. The best thing you can do is get a forward pistol grip. After I installed mine you can use your pump hand to absorb the recoil. You extend and lock the elbow, and then can site down the barrel like a conventionally stocked gun. Your pump arm stops the gun from smacking you in the face.
After adding the forward grip i see no huge difference from using any of my shotguns with a stock, and can shoot 3" #2 buck (its a 20 gauge mossberg cruiser) with no problems. Followup shots start out a little slower because manipulating the pump isn't as natural, but moving the whole gun forward with your trigger hand as oppose to racking it back with your off hand seems to work pretty well.
Dont discount the PGO shotgun not only is it almost as effective, but I also personally find it much more fun to shoot, and its much easier to conceal around the house.
Here's a video thats pretty close to how I shoot it, just adding the forward grip gives you way more control over the recoil. Also avoid ATI, it makes the action pretty sloppy and feels flimsy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bCWcumvKA8&feature=related
I got one as a gift from a family member and was in the group that thought they were useless until I started using one. The best thing you can do is get a forward pistol grip. After I installed mine you can use your pump hand to absorb the recoil. You extend and lock the elbow, and then can site down the barrel like a conventionally stocked gun. Your pump arm stops the gun from smacking you in the face.
After adding the forward grip i see no huge difference from using any of my shotguns with a stock, and can shoot 3" #2 buck (its a 20 gauge mossberg cruiser) with no problems. Followup shots start out a little slower because manipulating the pump isn't as natural, but moving the whole gun forward with your trigger hand as oppose to racking it back with your off hand seems to work pretty well.
Dont discount the PGO shotgun not only is it almost as effective, but I also personally find it much more fun to shoot, and its much easier to conceal around the house.
Here's a video thats pretty close to how I shoot it, just adding the forward grip gives you way more control over the recoil. Also avoid ATI, it makes the action pretty sloppy and feels flimsy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bCWcumvKA8&feature=related
Fred Fuller
Moderator Emeritus
What is the purpose of a pistol grip shotgun?
They're really good at causing controversy on gun boards...
lpl
They're really good at causing controversy on gun boards...
lpl
As you've probably gathered by now, opinions vary on the suitability of a PG shotgun from "You can't hit anything with one" to "It's easy to hit with one if you have tacticool ninja skills like I do".
No matter where along this spectrum your opinion lies, there is no doubt that it is significantly harder to hit your target with a PG shotgun than one with a stock. So you have to ask why would you want one? Are you planning to carry the shotgun concealed? Is it required that you hide it and there is absolutely nowhere to hide one with a stock? Unless there is some compelling requirement that can only be met by a PG shotgun, use one with a stock.
No matter where along this spectrum your opinion lies, there is no doubt that it is significantly harder to hit your target with a PG shotgun than one with a stock. So you have to ask why would you want one? Are you planning to carry the shotgun concealed? Is it required that you hide it and there is absolutely nowhere to hide one with a stock? Unless there is some compelling requirement that can only be met by a PG shotgun, use one with a stock.
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