Shotgun, as good as it sounds?

Everybody makes their own choices, and some find the PG shotgun appealing.
But, no matter how much you like one or how well you think you've adapted yourself to it, it simply cannot keep up at distance, in effective speed, or in aimed fire accuracy out beyond a few yards.

As one who has taught the shotgun for the second largest PD in my state, and seen those who mistakenly thought they had a cool & practical weapon fire PGs through range classes, I say (along with just about anybody who teaches or treats the subject seriously & professionally) it's just not possible to get anywhere near the same overall level of performance compared to a full-stocked shotgun.

Those who brought them to the range quickly found they were at a distinct disadvantage, the more on-the-ball possessors traded them off, and if you're satisfied with a defensive tool that offers maybe 50% of the utility of the full-stocked tool, it's your decision.

Firing, reloading, speed, accuracy, recovery time, target acquisition, working through doorways, and effective range all suffer to at least some degree with the PG shotgun.

Denis
 
I really like my little Mossberg 500 Cruiser. I think shooting from the hip is a blast! For self defense purposes, you'll never need a shoulder stalk. For navigating hallways and doorways, you'd soon be wishing you had the pistol grip. If you're going hunting you'll need the stalk for aiming though.

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Vege-Taco said:
For self defense purposes, you'll never need a shoulder stalk. For navigating hallways and doorways, you'd soon be wishing you had the pistol grip.
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To each his own. It's easy to make the shotgun shorter (in the virtual sense) by tucking the full stock under your arm.....it's a lot harder to make a pistol grip into a full stock.
 
I would start first with a 357 magnum S&W revolver, which is concealable and plenty lethal and suitable for "camping/home defense/emergency weapon". Wifey and the kids are more likely to handle it too. Ever shot a slug? It will tear your shoulder off. Clearing a house? You have 2 feet of broomstick sticking out there for Mr. Badguy to grab as you round a corner. I like the stealth aspect of a hidden revolver as well. You aren't showing your cards.

No way I would go with a pistol grip setup. I can't imagine aiming from the hip at someone who is coming at you with a butcher knife or shooting at you. You can bring it up to eye level, but then your strong arm is absorbing all of the recoil rather than your shoulder taking it. LEO and military employ the scattergun, but you never see it in a pistol grip configuration.

For my part, a shotgun would be a good secondary weapon if you are hunkered down somewhere and not trying to get in and out of a car, moving your family or supplies here and there, etc. If you are holed up at home and want to keep someone from coming through your bedroom door, a shotgun would be optimal.

JMO. :thumbup:
 
The nice thing about the .357 revolver is the adjustable power! You know 38's for the intimidated plus it's never going to jam.
 
I am going against the grain herebut I like the pistol grip. I am a large guy and have no problem at all shooting my PG street sweeper accuritely enough to take out a bad guy coming in the front door if I am at the back door, which is afterall its primary purpose. In the original post, you were correct, it is a very versital weapon. I don't believe there is one "Perfect" choice, thats why I have a drawer full of screwdrivers, annother full of sockets and so on. Home defence weaponry is the same, Weapons stashed all over the house close to all entrances so your less that 5 secs away at all times it a good way to go. All that said, yes the PG is a little harder to shoot, but, it requires practice like anything else. Take it to the range or out in the woods somewhere and practice doing some tactical type shooting, around corners, behind cover, odd angles, that sort of thing. A box or 2 or 3 of shells and you should be proficient and comfortable enough with it to do what is needed. The safety on mine is on top right in front of the PG, easily reachable with the thimb of either hand, in the dark its easy with either hand.
If money is not an issue, get a bunch of different guns and work with them until your comfortable. If it is, take some time to think about it, hang out with some guys that have different guns, see what you like.
 
zenheretic said:
I don't think anyone mentioned that a pistol grip with a Mossberg is a bad idea because of the safety location. If you have a regular stock, the safety is easily reached with your thumb. With a pistol grip, the safety is so far away, you just about have to let go of the pistol grip to activate/deactivate it. That is no good.
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Vege-Taco said:
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A pistol grip shotgun's primary support is the palm of the trigger hand. Notice how you have to remove your hand from the grip to reach the safety. I only have Mossbergs, and I do favor the ambidextrous nature of the Mossberg safety, but it is not a good choice for a pistol grip shotgun.
 
For a single shot either the full stock or pistol grip stock will do about equally well as far as accuracy if you practice. However the pistol grip will never have the cyclic rate that is possible with the full stock held against the shoulder. I have been involved with LEO training long enough to know you just can't work back down from recoil, cycle th action, and get back on target with the pistol grip as you can with the full stock. With the full stock you are already pulling the fore end back to seat the stock in your shoulder, with the pistol grip you are like just holding steady or apply forward pressure to keep from eating it. With the SS the slide starts reward as soon as the shotgun is fired, it is very simple to complete the stroke for the next shot. Also the very act of cycling the action tends to bring the barrel down out of recoil back into your aiming spot.

When I took the classes to become an LEO Instructor in shotgun there were several with folding stocks that tried to qualify with the stock folded...none could make the hits or times required.
 
Probably a lot of good reasons the REAL police used 870's for so many years..you'd be surprised how fast you can exit a patrol vehicle with an 870 laid on the floor by the driver or partner's door.

FYI you can deliver an effective horizontal buttstroke with an 870...not recommended for pistols or wheelguns though, LOL.

I like 12 ga pump shotguns for the purposes you mentioned, YMMV.
 
YOU NEED TO PATTERN THE GUN!!! Find out the longest distance in your house/property and shoot from that distance. Find out a round/choke combination that will work. This is the key area where most people make. I would trust my .22 over a shotgun that isn't patterned.
 
zenheretic said:
I don't think anyone mentioned that a pistol grip with a Mossberg is a bad idea because of the safety location. If you have a regular stock, the safety is easily reached with your thumb. With a pistol grip, the safety is so far away, you just about have to let go of the pistol grip to activate/deactivate it. That is no good.
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this is true, i always keep mine with the safety off and the tube loaded /chamber empty to get around this flaw,

if i am gonna get into a sustained and/or long range gunfight a shotgun with or without a stock isnt gonna be choice #1 it will be a AR or AK,
 
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