Don't flame me...too much for being a moron with a 12 gauge?

A

adn258

New member
So I bought a Mossberg 500 and it had just the pistol grip like you see in the cruiser model etc. I've shot a lot of guns in my time at only age 23. Uzi's, AK's 12 Guages, Glocks, XD'S, Desert Eagles, 500 S&W's even Full Auto's you name it.

That being said I had a small lapse in intelligence thanks to my being briefly smarmy about guns and my situation here in rugged old Montana. I was firing a Mossberg 500 pistol grip shotgun.

"I Bet you can't hit those cans with those 3 inch magnum slugs and that little stock-less pistol Grip 12 guage". So I held the gun in front of me. Admittedly a decent ways in front of my face, but to where I could sight the gun at the cans.

BANG! Slug went flying can goes down. I could already tell this had a massive kick. After about the 3rd shot it was enough to cause the shotgun to go back in my face and LUCKILY the knuckle part of my thumb hit me right in my upper lip (very hard).

My front tooth went about halfway through the back of my lip on the inside of my mouth. My lip probably protected me thankfully from losing my front tooth/teeth. I was spitting out blood of course for about a good hour.

This was over a week ago, my lip is mostly healed now, but I keep thinking of what an absolute stupid moron I was and I can't get over it. I have read forums where people have had a similar incident with pistol grip shotguns but I still can't get over what I was thinking to actually think doing that was a good idea. A pistol gripped stockless shotgun is for taking hip shots *hits head* what was I thinking?

My lesson has hopefully taught me well and as far as I am concerned I got off cheap. I was thinking the gun could have hit me in the esophagus (which I probably wouldn't have been talking to you now if it did), broke my nose, or knocked my teeth out etc.

The good news. I removed that pistol grip as I don't like it and put a SpecOps stock on there which I got to use today safely and really enjoyed it. No more pistol grip shotguns for me. I know they can be used safely via hip shots, but not accurately. They aren't for me, I think I'll stick with a good old stock and pistol grip combo.

I'm just wondering if anyone has had a similar incident of doing something stupid like this? I still feel like a complete idiot. What do you think I should try to take from this experience besides not doing that again? Any feedback or related experiences etc are welcome. You can go ahead and flame me and call me or whatever, I admit I deserve it.
 
Wow, thats a tough lesson to learn. I have the same shotgun but mine wears the factory stock. It also came with the pistol grip that I've never installed and dont plan on installing. Sure it looks cool but I can't think of a situation where I would need it.... Glad to hear your ok, now put a proper stock on that thing and get back to shooting those cans :)

Sent via Android
 
moron with a 12 gauge
Click to expand...

That would make an awesome title for a movie.

smiley-eatdrink062.gif
 
My stupidity hurt my 8 year old son.... I think my stupidity is worse. I took him out shooting and I had him shoot my little Taurus TCP. Well I held it with him for a couple shots because it likes to flip a lot. Then I thought he had the hang of it so I had him shoot on his own. BAD idea!!!! It flipped up and popped him in the face. He hasn't grown into his adult teeth up front yet so they busted his lip up a bit and I don't know if he was crying because he was hurt or stunned. But, he wanted no more of it. I made him take 2-3 more shots with me helping him so he would not be forever afraid. I felt so bad though. My wife wasn't too happy with me either. :(
 
Pistol grip only shotgun will come back at you (violently) under recoil. Got it.

But will we learn from your experience or will we still have to go out and try it for ourselves? Dunno. Kind of like checking to see if the paint is wet or the stove is really hot.

Still, thanks for posting. I personally don’t think it’s as bad as getting the scope back in your face from the recoil of a rifle and there seems to be considerable number of folks who do that to themselves so don’t beat yourself up too much.
 
We've all done things that didn't turn out well that we later regretted.

Be glad no one got shot or otherwise seriously injured.

Forgive yourself.

Next time, don't act on a "challenge".

Just slow down, in general. That's when I mess up, when I'm in a hurry.

Fortunately I've never had any accidents/close calls w firearms. I really take my time, do safety checks, do things slowly, but all it takes is one second of not thinking and it could get "interesting".
 
You got lucky. I'm surprised you didn't get whacked with the first shot. Holding the shotgun up for sighting compromises your grip. ;)

I know an less-than-intelligent person that broke his wrist with the exact same setup (Moss. 500/pistol grip), with 3 inch mags. We determined he was an absolute idiot, when he did again, six months later!
 
My "stupid moron" incident was firing a double 12 ga. (whose stock had been fashioned into a pistol grip) one handed and pulling both triggers at the same time.

Yep, the gun rocked back burying the opening lever deeply into the web of my hand. Never did that again.:o
 
AH HELL Don't be hard on the guy! My late friend a former sniper, shot one like that about 20 years ago but without slugs and did the same thing.

Like some one told me if you are goning to be dumb you got to be tuff, 'cause stupid hurts.
Mace
 
I did something similar recently, but fortunately I wasn't holding it in front of my face. I didn't think I had a round left in my 30-06 while scoping it in at a range (indoor). So, I brought my target forward, not paying too much attention, but still pointing the 30-06 downrange (target cardboard directly in front of muzzle).

I was holding the rifle along my hip, I pulled the trigger to release the tension. BOOM - I had one more round and it was chambered. The blast blew a huge hole in the cardboard, and scared the crap out of me. No one hurt, fortunately the muzzle was always pointing down range. It did make me realize to pay more attention to what I'm doing. I was also surprised at the diameter of the powerful muzzle blast - had to be about 18" in diameter - destroyed the cardboard target support. Also, a good example of why you ALWAYS point the muzzle downrange before pulling that trigger....ALWAYS.
 
Only one thing to do in that situation skans, look around, nod your head wisely and say 'and that's how you finish 'em off.'
 
Yep, live and learn.

I also got a Mossberg 500 with pistol grip only. I actually kind of like shooting it ... for a short time. That would be a full load of shells, 6 of 'em in fact.

I can actually shoot it accurately enough at 10 yards, which is all I'd expect of a shotgun with no stock. And no, I've never hit my face with it. But 6 shells through is enough for the day. That's as much as my hand could take.

I guess it has a purpose, heavy fire power in a short, easy to point package, but I'm used to a stock.

It's more a novelty gun now, it sits unloaded and dusty in the back of my safe. ;)
 
I saw a couple of guys just like the OP.
After they found that it was harder to hit shooting from the hip than it looks like in the movies, one held the gun in front of his face to take aim.
It DID knock out one of his front teeth. They looked for but could not find it so he has either a gap or a bridge now.
 
Yours truly did this as a newbie to shotguns. Big fat lip. BTW, I didn't cry or get knocked over. :D

Given we were out in the country, I cured myself by taking a Benadryl to make me dopey and drinking a Shiner. Genius plan also.

I also know a well respected trainer that did the same and another gun expert who ate the pistol grip.

The guy whose shotty did this to me, put a stock on his a bit later.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Acting stupid makes you smarter (sometimes).
 
Sometimes it pays to be the little brother. I got to learn from my bigger brothers mistakes by watching them and I've never done this with SG or with a scope. My brothers have...:D
 
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