Gun Configurations: Standard Stock, Pistol-Grip Stock, Telescoping Stock, or Pistol-Grip Only

Stocks-Tactical-4Types.jpgChoosing the configuration of your tactical shotgun is an important consideration which should be guided by anticipated use, not aesthetics.  The four most popular configurations are illustrated by these four photos, and their advantages and disadvantages are summarized below.

Each variation has its benefits and drawbacks, and there is no right answer except as it relates to you and your situation.  To help you with this decision, consider the following factors which relate to anticipated use.

Standard Stock:  (Top photo).  Within this category you will find stocks made of wood, synthetic material, and synthetic materials which encase recoil-reduction mechanisms. Since synthetic gunstocks are more durable, they are commonplace on most shotguns that were designed for defense use. 

At the very least, a standard stock should have a rubber recoil pad, or better yet a gel recoil pad, to reduce the concussive effect of recoil when the gun is fired from a shoulder position.  Beyond this, the technological advancement of energy-absorbing stocks provide a truly dramatic improvement over a solid stock, and this makes the gun easier to control in addition to making shooting much more pleasant. 

The pinnacle of this modern advancement in stock design is the Benelli M2 equipped with the patented Benelli “ComforTech” stock.  Between the effect of the improved semiautomatic action of the M2 and this ComforTech stock, perceived recoil is reduced by 44% when the gun is fired from the shoulder position.  (Firing from the shoulder position provides the greatest accuracy).  The ComforTech stock is not available with a pistol grip or in telescoping configurations, but there are a few aftermarket stocks with a pistol grip which provide a modicum of reduced recoil.  (See chapter on Recoil-Reduction Options).

Standard Stock with Pistol Grip:  (Second from top in photo).  Advocates of the stock with pistol-grip configuration claim that when the gun is fired from the hip, the shooter instinctively shoots more accurately. 

When a shotgun is fired from the hip, most shooters will naturally shoot high.  For some people, a pistol-grip stock helps reduce this problem.  When a gun with this configuration is fired from the hip, the stock helps stabilize the gun when it is held alongside the body (elbow height), while the pistol-grip can help draw the barrel downward, making it easier to fire accurately from the hip.  This seems to be a particular advantage for shooters who are accustomed to firing a pistol. 

Though this accuracy advantage isn’t universal for all users, what is universal is that the pistol-grip provides more flexibility in different shooting positions.  A pistol-grip equipped tactical shotgun can be fired more easily with one hand, and fired over walls and around corners, so many law enforcement officers, particularly SWAT team operators, prefer this style. 

A downside which may not be a major issue for you, but is often forgotten, is that with a pistol-grip stock shotgun, the use of a scabbard, or carrying the gun inside a backpack or in a GO-Bag (Bug-Out Bag), can be a problem. 

Telescoping (Collapsible) Stock.  (Second from bottom in photo).  Attempting to accommodate the best of both worlds, telescoping and folding stocks can be extended to aid accuracy when the gun is fired from the shoulder position.  Or, the stock can be collapsed to make the gun more maneuverable in tight spaces, and to better accommodate less-obvious carry or transport. 

Unfortunately, since these designs are a compromise, most do not include much of a recoil-absorbing buffer between the gun and the shooter’s shoulder.  This shortcoming is significant when the gun is fired from the shoulder position.  Conversely, if the gun will only rarely be shot from the shoulder, this drawback may not present much of a problem.  But keep in mind that accuracy is best attained by shooting with the shotgun in the shoulder-position, so this is a consideration—particularly in regard to training.  Without some device to reduce the effect of recoil, a shotgun can be a battering ram against the shoulder, and this discourages practice.  (For more on recoil-reduction options, see the chapter, Recoil-Reduction Options).

Tactical shotguns used by SWAT teams and military USSOCOM special operations units often utilize a telescoping stock.  These can be adjusted for the thickness of body armor at the shoulder, and collapsed when the operator is searching a building which has narrow halls and smaller rooms.  Yet, when needed, the stock can be quickly extended to engage a target that is further away. 

Being able to extend the stock is an especially important feature for longer-distance shooting.  Rifled slugs and sabot rounds (see chapter on ammunition) can be fired accurately at distances of 150-yards, and there are a number of special-purpose ammunition types which also demand more accurate shooting.  Whenever feasible, a tactical shotgun should be fired from the shoulder position, even at ranges as short as 20-feet.  The shot pattern at short range is tight, so placement is important when shooting a shotgun at a close target as well as one which is far away.  As discussed in the chapter on ammunition, just because you are using a shotgun which sprays pellets, it still requires effort to hit the target.

Folding Stocks (not pictured), are rarely available from the firearm manufacturer but they are popular and easily found in the inventories of aftermarket suppliers.  Most do not have a decent recoil pad, so firing the gun from the shoulder-position can be brutal.

The models which fold onto the top of the shotgun often interfere with the sights of the gun, and side folding models can interfere with extraction of a spent shell or the operation of the shotgun.  So choose wisely; returns are usually not possible after the folding-stock has been installed on a gun.

Both top-folding and side-folding models usually take two hands to operate, so they can be impractical to change the configuration when you are in the midst of a dangerous situation.  Additionally, some of the after-market stocks are crudely manufactured, or weak in design and do not stand up to real-world use.  And, some of them can be a project to install, despite the fact that it is advertised as being made for a specific make and model of gun. 

When installed on a semiautomatic shotgun, an aftermarket folding stock can adversely affect the cycling of the semiautomatic action.  So if you install an aftermarket folding stock, be sure to practice with it, and verify that it functions as desired.  If it doesn’t work flawlessly, remove it.  Don’t bet your life on an inferior piece of equipment.  A quality shotgun can become junk if it has an inferior stock. 

Pistol-Grip-Only Tactical Shotguns:  (Bottom image of the four photos, above).  Designed exclusively for use in confined spaces such as a home with smaller rooms and tight hallways, the pistol-grip-only tactical shotgun should be considered a special-use weapon.  Though it can be held at eye-level for more accurate shooting, the weight and lack of stock makes this difficult.  But it can be accomplished.  However, if it becomes necessary to utilize this type of shotgun against a more distant target, it’s usually best to use a door frame or fence to stabilize the gun.  This must be practiced.

When used indoors, and equipped with a barrel no longer than 20-inches, a pistol-grip-only shotgun is a formidable and quick operating weapon.  Note: The shortest legal barrel length without first obtaining a special license from ATF is 18-inches.  (See the chapter, “The Law”).  A barrel length that exceeds 20-inches negates the advantage of a pistol-grip-only shotgun.

Unencumbered by the weight and length of a shoulder stock, this type of tactical shotgun can be easily maneuvered room-to-room, around doorways and in narrow halls and stairways; it can be quickly brought to bear on a target, and swung around when searching for an intruder.  And, since it is kept close to the body, it may be more difficult for an intruder to grab. 

Available in either pump-action or semiautomatic action, these stubby guns provide the advantage of great mobility, but they do lack the versatility of a shotgun equipped with a stock.  But for those who are only interested in using their shotgun inside the confided space of an average-size house or apartment, or for those who are confined to a wheelchair or want to use the gun when seated, these shorter pistol-grip-only guns are a configuration worth considering.

Mossberg-JIC2-Kit-n-Inside.jpgAnother benefit of the pistol-grip-only tactical shotgun is that it is more easily concealed, and more easily stored and transported.  For example, the Mossberg JIC II (model # 55340 – see photo) comes in an unobtrusive black nylon bag.  This rectangular bag contains a modular shotgun, and measures 22.4 x 8.4 x 4 inches, and weighs only 5.5 lbs. 

The Mossberg JIC Cruiser (#51340) comes in a military OD-green tube that is less than 30-inches in length, and it can withstand being buried (if properly prepared and sealed).  The more durable Mossberg 500 JIC Mariner model (#52340) comes in a similar water-tight plastic floatation tube which is orange in color, and designed to be stored on a boat or as part of a survival kit.  These are examples of pistol-grip-only guns that do a great job of meeting their special-use need, but they fall short when it comes to universal use.