twocan
I am a great opponent on this forum of Pistol Grip Only (PGO) stocks for
Fighting Scatterguns. I have had some experience with short barreled and PGO stocked scatteguns mainly the Ithaca "stakeout" model.
If you had asked before your purchase, I would have tried to dissuade you from your course of action. However, in this case you have the guns (made your bed) and unless you follow the advice of my counterparts "it is what is is." PGO guns.
So, I will try to pass on the things I learned about this type of scattergun;
1st -
recoil management at about 80 Ft Lbs of felt recoil for defensive rounds, there is a LOT of energy transfer when you pull the trigger on a shotgun. Most folks try to hold the gun down around their waist (way to low) and all of this energy is transferred to their wrist
, that hurts! A better idea is to bend your arm at the elbow and get your forearm in line with the barrel, this transfers recoil along your forearm and your elbow works as a shock absorber, it is the best we can hope for recoil wise. Make sure not to bend your wrist, another words KEEP the pistol grip centered in the web of your hand "just like a pistol"!
Never try to hold the gun with one hand. Never attempt to shoot the gun at eye level with Heavy load of buck or slugs.
2nd - At close range our shot patterns are very small, WE CAN MISS. an old Skeet shooting trick helps, lay the pointing finger of your weak hand along the forend in line with the barrel, use this to point the gun, it will help a little.
3rd - From the normal open shotgun stance take an additional 1/4 step forward this transfer a little more weight forward and helps a little to keep the gun from bucking so viciously. Move your body left and right, not the gun.
The above ideas do help, my advise is " if this is a fighting scattergun then change the stocks", below is MY latest rant about PGO stocks.
1st - humans are heavily influenced by pictures and of weight are pictures of war fighters from the front. We see a lot of shotguns in these pictures with pistol grip only stocks (PGO) but we must understand that these are not "fighting scatterguns" they are specialized and effective breaching/gas throwing tools. The vendors of "toys" for our scatterguns also see these pictures and have exploited a nitch in the market place (you). They key idea here is that for them it is about money, not effectiveness.
3rd - It is difficult to get one's mind around truth that we can and do miss with a scattergun. Myth, legend and folk lore tell us that scatterguns hit without our hand/eye guidance. The reality of the street is that we MUST point the muzzle of our scattergun into a SPECIFIC target to get hits. So, here is my personal reality for you, THE CLOSER THE ENEMY IS TO YOU, THE MORE THE CHANCE OF MISSING. At ten feet our pattern with 00 buck is only about 3" at 20 feet it is about 6", it is not hard to miss with this size pattern.
4th - PGO stocks no matter who makes it do not transfer recoil as well as shoulder mounted stock. They are simply one of those trade offs, to reduce the overall size of the gun, we sacrifice point-ability and recoil management.
Hopefully some of what I have said rings true for you. In the end, you alone have to decide what compromises are to your advantage.
Good Luck & Be Safe
