Tag Archives: 500

The Ideal Pump Action Shotgun

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For some reason I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the best pump action shotgun.  Well, here’s the deal… There is no best pump action shotgun.  There’s no ideal pump action shotgun.  It doesn’t exist.  There is no such thing.  Even my beloved 870 is not the ideal shotgun.  It’s not perfect.
c36337ff606aca242fd4fdf763a9f8c8My top Pump Action Picks are as follows:
1.  Remington 870.
2.  Mossberg 500/590.
3.  Benelli Super Nova.
And that’s it.  Those 3.  In that order.  And really, the Benelli if you want the option for 3.5″ shells.  Which is nice, but unnecessary.  But I do like the stocks and the sights.  But not much else.

My ideal pump action shotgun, which doesn’t exist, would be a hybrid of the 870 and the 500/590.
I like the Steel Receiver and the Bolt of the 870.  But I like the Shell Lifter and Safety on the 500.  If I could have an 870 fitted with a Mossberg Safety and a Mossberg Shell Lifter – and use the Magpul shotgun stock – That would be just about damn near as ideal as it could get.   Let’s add good Rifle Sights to it, and interchangeable choke tubes.  That would do it, pretty much.
The Magpul stock on a Mossberg is probably the ideal set up.  Or at least the most ideal set up I’ve handled.  It’s very ergonomic and feels great… keeping the felt recoil under control and keeping the safety right there where you need it.

Magpul’s Shotgun Stock on a Mossy 500

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Mossberg’s model 500 shotgun is a very simple little beast.  The one I picked up was rather lacking in that it was a Pistol Grip Only shotgun.  I was going to do something else with it, but decided to sandbag that and go a different round.  So I needed a stock for it.  After some consideration I decided to give the Magpul stock a shot, and I am really glad I did.  I almost always throw on a Butler Creek folding stock, but wanting “different” this time really paid off.
The location of the safety switch on the Mossy shotguns is on top and at the rear of the receiver.  Which makes it’s position perfect for this stock.   It’s awesome if shot from either shoulder.   If you have a Mossberg – this is the stock you need.
The grip angle looks exaggerated, but actually feels very comfortable, and the length of pull is adjustable by adding or removing the spacers.  It comes with no spacers in, making it too short for me.  So adding 2 puts it just right.  For me.  You might be different.

Shockwave Technologies Raptor Grip.

This was one of those “What the hell, I’ll try it” sort of things.  With a big “I’m glad I did” sort of results.   I was in the market for a new stock, but not exactly for a pistol grip… so I’d likely have passed this up until our friend Ryan Horst at Tannerman’s Trading Company offered this to me.

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This is a synthetic product that is reminiscent of the results of the old school mod of chopping down a standard wood stock.  It’s got that look and feel, but with a better finish.  Compared to some other pistol grip, or Breacher grips out there, this has a better look and feel.  Better in that it looks more traditional.  It is both solid and comfortable and during recoil, it feels more comfortable than most standard pistol grips out there.

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Mounted on a standard factory Remington 870 HD model, it helps make for a nice compact Home Defense weapon.  It begs to be used on an SBS or AOW shotgun.  The Raptor Grip is not for everyone.  The purpose is more specifically CQB in tighter areas, or for where you need to transport a potent weapon in as compact a package as possible.  This isn’t for any Duck Commanders out there.

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You can see it removes a lot of length from the weapon, while keeping a legal OAL.  Any shorter here and I’d have to be doing some ATF Paperwork.

Available from Shockwave Technologies.  For the Remington 870, NEF and H&R Clones, and IAC Hawk shotguns.   Also available for Mossberg 500 and those related shotguns.