r/canadaguns • u/Infinite-Bill1072 • May 10 '26
Misc Am I the only one that hates the feel and aesthetic of pistol grips on shotguns?
I know I’m probably in the minority here, but I genuinely can’t stand pistol grips on 99% of shotguns. Every time I see one, especially on pump shotguns, it just feels wrong aesthetically and looks awkward to hold.
There’s something about a traditional stock that just fits the look and feel of a shotgun better. Pistol grips always make them look overly “tactical” in a way that feels forced, like they’re trying too hard to be an action movie prop instead of an actual practical firearm.
For me they feel clunky, less natural to shoulder, and way less comfortable when firing heavier loads. A classic stock just feels smoother and more intuitive.
Obviously on automatic shotguns they look cool and are probably better to use, but we don;t have those here so I don't count those.
Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels this way.
39
u/SpectreBallistics Spectre Ballistics International (Verified) May 10 '26
Depends on the shotgun. I have a Mossberg 500 with traditional stock and it's great. I also have a 590RM, which has a pistol grip and it's also really good.
Done right, pistol grips work and have some advantages.
19
u/Foreign_Active_7991 May 10 '26
"Depends on the shotgun" is absolutely spot-on IMO. A box magazine fed shotgun like your 590RM? Pistol grip absolutely makes sense. Tube fed? Traditional stock is way more convenient for fast double and quad loading IME, and it's a bit of a sleeker package when slung.
12
u/FluffyPlays22 May 10 '26
The main reason they feel wrong is that most shotguns were not designed to have a pistol grip, so the action release, or shell drop is usually in a bad spot for it. And on a tube fed shotgun it also makes the footprint bigger which is another downside. If the action releases/shell drops weren't so half assed on most of the models with pistol grips I would be more inclined to use them, but I'm personally not going to sacrifice function for a pistol grip.
5
u/Remarkable_Vanilla34 May 10 '26
On a mossberg the safety is impossible to manipulate with a pistol grips if you don't remove your hand.
They make the gun hard to feed from a violin load.
They low the fulcrum point of the gun away from the bore.
They generally look like goofy mall ninja shit. Unless it was designed for one i don't see the appeal.
I think the magpul SGA is by far the best choice if your gun can run it.
14
14
4
u/gmachine19 May 10 '26
I feel the same. My m4 and 1301 both have straight stock grips. Looks sexier that way.
1
u/Reighzy May 10 '26
Which of those two do you prefer in that format? I keep going back and forth between the two and definitely won't be able to get both in the near future!
4
1
u/thecoolernameistaken May 10 '26
I’d love an m4 straight walnut stock but man that’s serious money
2
u/Iokua_CDN May 11 '26
I'm warning up to the looks of the tactical m4.... but seeing a wood stock version peaks my interest
13
u/WinterOrb69 May 10 '26
I used to think like this, but my benelli m4 changed my mind.
8
u/Ov3rReadKn1ght0wl May 10 '26
Okay, I'm glad I'm not the only one. I enjoy the traditional grip on my Benelli Nova, but didn't quite like the feel of the Nova Tactical with pistol grip as much. Then, on an M4 it was a game changer. Must be a design thing.
1
u/Iokua_CDN May 11 '26
I feel like the m4 might be the exception. Designed to be a pistol grip with a nice telescoping stock vs adapted to be a pistol grip.
I haven't tried an m4 yet but it's definitely in the list!
3
u/Standard_Custard2338 May 10 '26
If I'm bird hunting, then I'm team traditional all the way. If I'm slug hunting, then it's 110% team pistol grip.
2
u/WeightedDips95 May 10 '26
I put a mesa tactical adapter on my 590. Before I got one, I remember reading some people saying pistol grip (+ stock) on shotguns was inferior to a traditional stock. Not sure what their reasoning was. It gave me cold feet but then after a while ended up getting one cause I happened upon a good deal on gunpost. Im not sure what they were talking about now cause I feel like I get a lot more control over the firearm now and I feel like my support hand doesnt have to reach out as far to get to the pump which is nice.
So all that to say, I cant agree with not liking the feel, having tried both now. Aesthetics are far more subjective however, and varies on the gun/ stock. Personally, I think the Mesa TacticalTM adapter on a 590 is extremely sexooo.
2
u/Barbarian_818 May 10 '26
For me, it's a pistol grip on any firearm action originally designed for a traditional stock.
Compare the SKS to the AR family.
The SKS has a wooden stock. The trigger and sear mechanism is all arranged to be towards the back of the action where the wrist of the stock is.
With the AR family, the trigger assembly is all below the action, closer to the balance point of the firearm.
To me, both look good on their own. I don't like it when one tries to look like the other. It's like jacking up a Corvette and putting on big mudder tires.
But now that I think of it, I don't think I've ever seen an attempt to pull off a "reverse bubba" putting a traditional wristed stock on an AR and delete the pistol grip.
2
u/Iokua_CDN May 11 '26
Oh I have, California ar15a will do it, like the Rabch Rifle or the Fightlite rifle down south. The crusader backland hunter looks similar, buffertube less ar with a traditional stock. I oddly dig it
2
2
u/prosper_0 May 11 '26
like they’re trying too hard to be an action movie prop instead of an actual practical firearm.
That's like 80+% of this subreddit
1
4
May 10 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/Scary-Detail-3206 May 10 '26
Yeah I prefer the pistol grip for aiming and traditional stock for swinging. I shot clays with my pistol grip Supernova once, it was terrible.
2
u/BritBuc-1 May 10 '26
It really depends on the shotgun and the situation. Shotguns are so versatile that a specific situation leans better toward a pistol grip, other situations where a more “traditional” stock is an advantage.
Rapid CQC, pistol grip please. Tracking shots, traditional all the way, for example.
2
u/Nearby_Purchase_8672 May 10 '26
Pistol grips are great if you don't know how to hold a long gun. I don't like pistol grips
1
1
u/Hot_Cheesecake_905 May 10 '26
I installed one on a Maverick 88 to see what it was like, but the regular shotgun grip feels better. With a Mossberg, you also need to replace the forend release button, which is an extra cost unless you don't mind reaching for it. i prefer the ergonmics of my 590A1 w/ Magpul stock vs. the pistol grip.
1
u/Response-Cheap May 10 '26
🤷🏻♂️ I like my Supernova with the pistol grip. LOP is perfect for me and the pistol grip gives me a really snug stance. To each their own though. 🤷🏻♂️
1
u/1anre May 10 '26
Its weird and not what we grew up seeing being used in Lethal Weapon, Delta's Force, and Westerns
1
u/DistiIIer May 11 '26
I much prefer the traditional stock myself. Most shotguns weren't designed with a pistol grip initially, so describing them as feeling "forced" is bang on. But there are some shotguns that were designed that way, like a Benelli M4, that feel way better. But I still prefer the traditional stock.
1
u/KalashnikovParty May 11 '26
I actually like the feel of my beneli supernova tactical with a pistol grip. I think the presence of a ghost ring sight helps
1
u/escv_69420 May 11 '26
The happy middle ground is the Magpul stock. I put one on my 1301 and I like it WAY more than the factory stock or pistol grip I tried. It's got all the traditional stock feel and vibes, but a steeper grip angle. This means that the bore axis is way closer to the center of your hand and I find it leads to a lot less muzzle rise and a more straight back shove recoil feel. Combined with a Kick-Eez pad and getting good at push-pull, Pasta Blaster go bbrrrr.
1
1
u/epnk420 May 10 '26
Absolutely trash to fire imo hated it the first time I shot a pump 12ga just pistol grip it might look cool but hurts like hell lol if you want pistol at very least have a buttstock as well lol
1
-1
u/DougMacRay617 May 10 '26 edited May 10 '26
Just look at people who shoot shotguns at a high level. There is your answer. Traditional style stocks are superior.
Pistol grips are for breaching shotguns/ tactical use.
0
u/Spydude84 May 10 '26
I'm in the same boat. I love my pistol grips on rifles, but shotguns should just be a normal stock grip imo.
0
u/DifficultReference99 May 10 '26
My only experiences is three different spectrums 1 is a ATI bolt up for mossberg 500/590's which looks nice on a tactical shotgun. But it transfers the felt recoil into my wrist. Second is the mesa tactical recoil buffer system. It works, tames a 12 slug to a hot bird shot load in felt recoil.. but the recoil buffer/ adapter and then a ergo grip, magpul ctr stock..the set up cost more then my shotgun. I would like to try a mesa tactical urbino once. 3 is ergo grip adapters that give you a buffer.tube and pistol grip..theyre rougher but.give you a more compact size and kinda look cool too me But on the other hand everyone seems the love magpul SGA stock/ forend..and ive tried them on 12g 28", 20",18.5", shockwaves all sorts of shell combinations and i can"t stand how the felt recoil is transferred. They look great but just feel terrible. So i kinda feel the same, outside the norm for SGA stocks. I really enjoy a hogue rubberized stock/ forend the best.
0
0
u/ovjho May 10 '26
I tried the ATI stock on my mossberg 500 and took it off before even firing it. Could be that ATI is junk, but I also hated the ergo.
Swapped it for the magpul, which is almost a hybrid, and love it. Have the magpul version on a couple rifles and think it’s a great sweet spot.
0
u/IGnuGnat May 10 '26
I hate the look of it. The only think I hate more than the look of a full stock shotgun with a pistol grip is a shotgun with no stock, or JUST a pistol grip. FFFFFFFFFFFFFfffffffffffffffffffff
If it's a 16 gauge or something other than 12g I'll allow it
0
u/Accomplished-Beat779 May 10 '26
My Benelli Super Nova Tac feels pretty good...different from a fine hunting gun
0
u/Doc911 Blaser Rifles & Beretta Shotguns May 11 '26
Do you one better. Straight stock, no grip at all, for instinctive shooting on my hunters.
My Beretta 486 in 12 and my Caesar Guerini Maxum in 20 are both straight-stocked, English-stocked guns. The more I shoot them, the more convinced I am. A straight stock just disappears in the hands. It lets the gun move naturally, at odd angles, through trees, over uneven footing, twisted, turned, mounted quickly, and fired without conscious thought. For walked-up birds and woods shooting, it feels less like holding a tool and more like pointing a finger. That said, my Benelli M4 is all pistol grip, and rightly so. Different gun, different purpose, different language.
For a hunter, give me English wood and instinct, and I now shoot clays only with my hunting guns. For the M4, give me control, structure, and intent. It is my travelling hunter for the Great North (no pretty wood at -40C) and my turkey gun.
0
u/guestpassonly May 11 '26
Length of pull is a big factor for your decision on a pistol grip or not.
19
u/briancatams May 10 '26
I've noticed several shotgun experts on youtube make the point that not having a pistol grip just fits the ergonomics of how to operate a shotgun. I tend to agree for what it's worth.