The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Hide > The Dave McCracken Memorial Shotgun Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old March 10, 2012, 01:56 PM   #1
Big_Bullet
Member
 
Join Date: September 25, 2005
Location: Central Iowa USA
Posts: 80
Best short pistol gripped shogun for the money?

I've always wanted a short pistol gripped shotgun. What would those that have one recommend for the best brand and model for the money?
Big_Bullet is offline  
Old March 10, 2012, 04:26 PM   #2
oneounceload
Junior member
 
Join Date: April 18, 2008
Location: N. Central Florida
Posts: 8,518
Any model from Mossberg or Remington will do; however, those "in the know", will also tell you a PGO is a waste of time and money and not to be bothered
oneounceload is offline  
Old March 10, 2012, 08:29 PM   #3
ohen cepel
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 20, 1999
Location: Where they send me
Posts: 1,013
Like others, I am not a fan. I had one, don't now.

That being said. Mossberg makes a nice set which has both the PG and a standard stock in the same kit so you have it all to mod as you like. Plus, I think the 500 is great in that there are a ton of aftermarket parts if you want/need them.
__________________
He who dares wins.

NRA Life Benefactor Member
ohen cepel is offline  
Old March 10, 2012, 08:46 PM   #4
shortwave
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 17, 2007
Location: SOUTHEAST, OHIO
Posts: 5,970
Quote:
Best short pistol gripped shogun for the money?
One that I can change back to a full stock.
shortwave is offline  
Old March 11, 2012, 07:19 PM   #5
Dave McC
Staff In Memoriam
 
Join Date: October 13, 1999
Location: Columbia, Md, USA
Posts: 8,811
Keep it G rated, guys...

As to the OP's query, few veteran shotgunners have Pistol Grip Only shotguns.

They work better in the movies than real life.

But do not take our words for it. Borrow one, note that it looks close to new and have at it. 5 rounds later, you'll KNOW!
Dave McC is offline  
Old March 11, 2012, 11:41 PM   #6
OkieCruffler
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 9, 2001
Location: Denison Texas on the banks of Texhoma
Posts: 1,556
Now it depends what the OP wants to do with it. All shotguns aren't about the downfall of civility. I had one I made out of a mossy 88 that was a hoot with light birdshot rounds. Got pretty decent with it from the hip against tin cans and grapefruit. Made the mistake of running some full power OO loads thru it. That was unpleasent, but with field loads, yeap, total hoot.
__________________
John A. Monroe, Never Forgive, Never Forget, Blood Pays Blood
OkieCruffler is offline  
Old March 12, 2012, 10:42 AM   #7
DennisRL84
Junior member
 
Join Date: March 12, 2012
Posts: 32
I bought a cops old Mossberg 500A pistol grip for only $125 about 3 years ago.

It was a model made in the 80's but is in EXCELLENT condition. It is 1 rd shorter then a typical Mossberg 500. Only 5rds in the tube and 1 chambered. I shot it about 3 times with ONLY a pistol grip and no stock. I have no interest in trying to do that again. Hell, most of my local gun ranges have banned pistol gripped only shotguns.

ANYWAY, the Mossberg 500 has been super reliable and effective for killing paper targets. They seem to have awesome reviews and are decently priced. MY LEO friends also carry them and my military unit uses them as well.

Parts, accessories are super easy to find as well!
DennisRL84 is offline  
Old March 12, 2012, 01:58 PM   #8
Whirlwind06
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 3, 2006
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 998
I saw a Mossberg 500 with what was called a "Chainsaw fore grip" the gun shop the other day. Looked pretty wild, you would actually hold it over hand I guess
http://www.impactguns.com/mossberg-c...813504607.aspx
Whirlwind06 is offline  
Old March 12, 2012, 02:02 PM   #9
jmr40
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 15, 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 10,786
I wouldn't have a pistol gripped shotgun as a gift, but if you do get one it is almost impossible to use the safety on a Mossberg with PG. A little better with Remington.
jmr40 is offline  
Old March 12, 2012, 09:05 PM   #10
lefteye
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 30, 2006
Posts: 1,433
Read and heed Dave's post!!! You may get a shot in self defense with a pistol grip only shotgun, but if the bad guy is armed it may be your last shot . . . ever. I'm sorry if this is too blunt.
__________________
Vietnam Veteran ('69-'70)
NRA Life Member
RMEF Life Member
lefteye is offline  
Old March 13, 2012, 06:25 AM   #11
dascottsman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 9, 2011
Location: colorado-a-fornia
Posts: 111
I keep a 870 Express, with mag extension and a Pachmayer rubberized pistol grip only and fore-end. Had it this way for years, and you are a dead man if you come in my house by way of PB poisioning dispatched from it, I am surgical with it. I love my 12 ga. in this configuration, and can shoot the eye out of a running cat.......

To each his own. Practice with it, and you will become proficient. Just remember that it is a short range, purpose built weapon, and you won't be hunting ducks next year probably with it.....

Remington 870's and Mossberg 500's are probably what you are looking for as they have MANY aftermarket parts available.
dascottsman is offline  
Old March 13, 2012, 06:34 AM   #12
hoytinak
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 5, 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 5,721
Can't get any shorter than a super shorty. http://www.serbu.com/top/superShorty.php But it comes with the $5 AOW tax stamp and months of wait time on the Form 4.
hoytinak is offline  
Old March 15, 2012, 04:56 AM   #13
TheDeej
Member
 
Join Date: September 30, 2011
Posts: 52
I had one years ago, a mossberg 500 with the pistol grip butt stock and a pistol grip on the forward as well. It had a heatshield, extended magazine, folding stock, all the bells and whistles. It looked awesome hanging over the bed, but even after doing all that work putting on the "tacti-cool" stuff, I never shot it. My little brother practically begged me every time we went to the range to bring it, but I never did.
He borrowed it from my wife one weekend while I was out of town. All I remember was getting a phone call saying lil brother had broke his index and middle finger while shooting that gun. He doesn't even know what happened, but the gun was at a pawnshop the next day. I traded even for a gorgous mossy 590. That pump always gave me a weird feeling, it had bad juju in it, and I have never thought about another.

If your dead set on pistol grip, the market is pretty cornered by mossberg and remington. I do remember seeing a Stevens new model that's all decked out, but the model slips me. And I know a local shop here has a Rock Island pistol grip. It's cool if not for any reason other than the jeweled bolt.

Follow Dave's advice and borrow a buddies. And as dascottsman said, to each his own, & as with any tool, practice with it to learn your strength and weaknesses. But by all means, borrow one first. See if you like it, that way your not tossing hard earned cash at unicorn you are chasing just to catch it and learn its a shetland pony...

I don't know about jmr40's experience with mossbergs safety, but I have mounted these on friends and families guns and they have worked fine for them.

Goodluck!
TheDeej is offline  
Old March 16, 2012, 06:11 PM   #14
zombieslayer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 11, 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 3,198
I prefer the Mossberg as you dont have to reach all the way forward to rack the forst round. Get a $250 pistol grip mossberg 500. They're a lot of fun, forget the naysayers. I take mine out to the range and shoot clay pigeons with the boy scout troop and they love watching me blast away with my "ghetto" shotgun. Another plus, aside from the fun factor, would be that the overall length of the weapon is reduced by roughly a foot so its easier to stow away in a handy spot. I really had my doubts and never buy anything "tacticool" but after 5000+rds, I'm pretty good with my PG 500.
__________________
"An angry prophet, denouncing the hypocrisies of our time"
zombieslayer is offline  
Old April 3, 2012, 08:02 PM   #15
Big_Bullet
Member
 
Join Date: September 25, 2005
Location: Central Iowa USA
Posts: 80
Actually, I have a practical use for it.

I would prefer a 20ga model to keep from damaging too much meat on the rabbits I hunt. The hunting is in thick Iowa brush and they usually scamper off so fast that you don't have time to get the stock to your shoulder. A shorter, legal length barrel and a pistol grip would put more rabbits in the freezer. I'd rather rabbit hunt than pheasant hunt any day. Much better eating. Quick on the draw with a wider pattern could be just the ticket, in 20ga.
__________________
Quote:
Jesus is my Master.

Last edited by Big_Bullet; April 3, 2012 at 08:03 PM. Reason: Type o
Big_Bullet is offline  
Old April 3, 2012, 10:33 PM   #16
FrosSsT
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 17, 2011
Location: NJ
Posts: 595
I wouldnt go with a pistol grip ONLY. If you really want to get a pistol gripped shotgun get one of the folding stocks that convert back and forth from pistol grip only to stock
FrosSsT is offline  
Old April 6, 2012, 10:31 PM   #17
Big_Bullet
Member
 
Join Date: September 25, 2005
Location: Central Iowa USA
Posts: 80
Good idea.

Hadn't thought of that.
__________________
Quote:
Jesus is my Master.
Big_Bullet is offline  
Old April 8, 2012, 08:57 AM   #18
EdInk
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 27, 2009
Posts: 3,968
The Serbu Super Shorty. Pay the extra and have it built out of an 870. it only needs a $5 AOW tax stamp. Another option is a $200 tax stamp, a coach gun and a hacksaw.
__________________
Sic Semper Tyrannis
EdInk is offline  
Old April 8, 2012, 10:32 AM   #19
hogdogs
Staff In Memoriam
 
Join Date: October 31, 2007
Location: Western Florida panhandle
Posts: 11,069
I have already done exactly as you want to try....




But the rabbits far too often escaped unhurt or wounded to die...

Point shooting with a PGO gun is not easy to master...

Here is the same gun today and it and I are like one for fast point shooting from any angle or hold...



I opted not to post the pic of the gun and I with a "field lion" I took out of the gene pool...

Brent
hogdogs is offline  
Old April 9, 2012, 07:38 PM   #20
Big_Bullet
Member
 
Join Date: September 25, 2005
Location: Central Iowa USA
Posts: 80
Nice pics but...

... I hope you didn't shoot the rabbit in the first pic, because that rabbit is a dog. I have one shorty already. It's an H&R single 20ga, 19.75" barrel, 27" overall length, and I can point shoot and hit anything, almost instantly; However, some years, the rabbits are thick enought that I'm loading another round while the second rabbit gets away. Can I offer you some cashola for your multi rabbit ready firearm? I'd even offer some extra for the dog, if he retrieves rabbits, uneaten, and won't bite me when I ask for them. If you lived in Iowa, we could team up. Rabbits can get ugly. Always nice to have back up for the rabid ones with fangs.

BB
__________________
Quote:
Jesus is my Master.
Big_Bullet is offline  
Old April 10, 2012, 08:39 AM   #21
hogdogs
Staff In Memoriam
 
Join Date: October 31, 2007
Location: Western Florida panhandle
Posts: 11,069
The pitbull dog was my number one catch dog for hogs at that time... He went 74 pounds when fully in "field trim" condition... 90+ pounds if let get a little fat...

I would take the gun to shoot coons off my corn piles. If a rabbit presented itself I would take the shot and feed him to the dogs for a treat....

This gun was out of my custody for 11 years following a burglary, never gonna give it up...

None of my dogs "soft mouth" retrieve... None really retrieve come to think about it... they go get themself supper... Takin' it from them would require utter control over the dog (me and junior) or a genuine fight between man and dog and they hate to lose a fight...

Brent

Last edited by hogdogs; April 10, 2012 at 08:45 AM.
hogdogs is offline  
Old April 15, 2012, 06:15 PM   #22
Big_Bullet
Member
 
Join Date: September 25, 2005
Location: Central Iowa USA
Posts: 80
Glad

You got it back. I might snag one some time.

BB
__________________
Quote:
Jesus is my Master.
Big_Bullet is offline  
Old April 19, 2012, 03:31 AM   #23
ClydeFrog
Junior member
 
Join Date: May 1, 2010
Posts: 5,797
+1 for the Super Shorty 12ga shotgun...

If you want to be a Hollywood bad-$&#, I'd buy a 870 or Mossberg 500 brand Super Shorty 12ga, .
The "pre-war" Browning A5 semi auto, cut-down "room broom" Chuck Norris swings around in LoneWolf McQuade(1983) is slick too. See www.imfdb.org .

Clyde
ClydeFrog is offline  
Old April 19, 2012, 08:19 AM   #24
WV_gunner
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 14, 2011
Location: WV
Posts: 938
Go to flea markets and pawn shops until you find a $30-$40 gun with a busted stock or something. Then get a saw and make the stock into a pistol grip. That's the cheapest way to get a pistol gripped shotgun.
WV_gunner is offline  
Old April 19, 2012, 02:08 PM   #25
myshoulderissore
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 12, 2010
Location: Boise, ID
Posts: 447
I toss on the PGO when I go out to destroy old broken hard drives... I love it, it is a huge wad of fun! For a functional shotgun, though, the comments are correct, not too much value to PGO besides some good old fashioned fun.
myshoulderissore is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:41 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.11993 seconds with 8 queries