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pistol grip/modifying my shotgun
callktulu
Member Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
I'm going to modify my Remington 870 Express so that the stock is a pistol grip. I don't what to replace the existing wood (with a black/synthetic pistol grip), but instead cut off the "butt" portion.
Cutting the wood and shaping it to the form I want is within my capabilities, so that doesn't concern me. If I cut the buttstock and sand it down to a pistol grip, I'll be left with bare wood that will need to be stained & sealed. The best way to make sure it all matches would be to strip the entire piece of wood and refinish it as an entire piece. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), the wood on this particular gun has the nice checkering on both stock pieces (see image below). I really want to avoid having to do refinishing on or around the checkering.
Instead of stripping & refinishing the entire piece, I could find a stain and finish that's similar, and try and match up the color to the factory finish. However, I have a feeling this would result in an obvious color difference. My other idea is to cover up the newly exposed area on the back of the pistol grip with a rubber cover of some sort. Hard to describe what I'm thinking of, but here's a picture of something like it:
See the black piece on the back end of the saw? I'd like something like that for two reasons....1, it has a flare at the top that would help the hand when gripping/firing the gun, and 2, if it's a little wider, it just might cover up the portion of the wood from where the cut was made. Is there a grip product like that out there for the gun industry? I've tried searching the web, but all I come up with is replacement stock grips, not the kind I'm envisioning like in the saw picture above.
Cutting the wood and shaping it to the form I want is within my capabilities, so that doesn't concern me. If I cut the buttstock and sand it down to a pistol grip, I'll be left with bare wood that will need to be stained & sealed. The best way to make sure it all matches would be to strip the entire piece of wood and refinish it as an entire piece. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), the wood on this particular gun has the nice checkering on both stock pieces (see image below). I really want to avoid having to do refinishing on or around the checkering.
Instead of stripping & refinishing the entire piece, I could find a stain and finish that's similar, and try and match up the color to the factory finish. However, I have a feeling this would result in an obvious color difference. My other idea is to cover up the newly exposed area on the back of the pistol grip with a rubber cover of some sort. Hard to describe what I'm thinking of, but here's a picture of something like it:
See the black piece on the back end of the saw? I'd like something like that for two reasons....1, it has a flare at the top that would help the hand when gripping/firing the gun, and 2, if it's a little wider, it just might cover up the portion of the wood from where the cut was made. Is there a grip product like that out there for the gun industry? I've tried searching the web, but all I come up with is replacement stock grips, not the kind I'm envisioning like in the saw picture above.
Comments
If it was me, I'd cut it and leave a flat portion of the stock a few inches behind the pistol grip, and put a piece of leather on it. Reason being, you can still (with a little practice and some bad form) shoot it from your shoulder.
I think you should Bonnie & Clyde that gun -- leave a short stock on it like this:
Yeah, I thought about that, as well, but I wanted to try the "alternate grip" idea first (if available).
Why destroy a perfectly good wood stock? Go with a folding stock and have the best of both worlds.
First of all, I'm not destroying a a perfectly good stock, I'm modifying it. And secondly, I think a folding stock is ugly and detracts from the overall appearance.
Is this the same piece of pipe you were talkin bout a month ago?[:D]
Yes. [;)]
Check Cheaper N Dirt. There is a company that makes a polymer pistol grip like what I think you are shooting for.
Check Cheaper N Dirt. There is a company that makes a polymer pistol grip like what I think you are shooting for.
Ah, excellent, I should have thought of that! Thank you!
Looks like a cut off stock but is finished -- hard to describe.
I knew a guy on gunsnet that put one on his shotgun said it was much more comfortable to shoot with than a std pistol grip.
Instead pick up just a polymer pistol grip with a somewhat vertical, AR'ish angle. You'll find that one which follows the lines of a full stock's grip will tend to slide around in your hand during recoil.
A pistol grip alone of course doesn't work as well as a full stock, but you'd be surprised at what can be done with one when using proper technique. Back when I had a need for a pistol gripped only shotgun I had no problem keeping slugs on a 50 yd. silhouette with a bead sighted 870.
When it comes to folders on shotguns, be careful which particular design you choose. Some are recoil enhancers. This is more than just a comfort issue, often slowing accurate shooting down quite a bit. The bottom line is that if you see a certain type which looks interesting, try to shoot with one before laying your money down.
I agree with not destroying your original stock for a configuration you might someday decide to drop.
Instead pick up just a polymer pistol grip with a somewhat vertical, AR'ish angle. You'll find that one which follows the lines of a full stock's grip will tend to slide around in your hand during recoil.
If I ever want to "drop" the modified stock, I'll just buy a new piece of wood and replace it. I don't want comfort or ease of grip with a traditional pistol grip. I want it to cover up a lack of wood-working. If it has the added benefit of better grip/recoil, that's fine. Besides, it's only a 20-ga. It's not THAT strong of a recoil.
Speed Feed Pistol Grip Stock Set 870 - $40 via google shopping.
Even has a lanyard loop for Coltpax... [:0]
Nevermind - 12ga only. Personaly I'd look on the auction side for a "cheap used" stock set to cut down.
I tend to prioritize function over "the look".
With a little training and practice, the barrel of a shotgun and the stock are just as efficient as a night stick or a pair of nun-chucks. I always think of shortening a shotgun as kind of like shortening my nightstick and the question is always why? I visualize situations where you'd want to use less than lethal force, a barrel taboo between the eyes or a buttstroke to the chin works well.
There is very little I can't do with a full stock that I can do with a pistol grip stock, deleting the stock takes away a dandy club and sure doesn't add to accuracy.
Personally I'd rather bring an empty (full stock) shotgun to a knife fight than another knife, think about it.
I personally don't get a pistol grip shotgun at all, IMO the stock is part of the package. The stock is also a weapon and sure makes shooting a shotgun more efficient. Maybe for inside a car, or in a backpack or maybe inside a camper. other than that, pistol grips are pretty much just handicapping a fairly well designed gun.
I tend to prioritize function over "the look".
With a little training and practice, the barrel of a shotgun and the stock are just as efficient as a night stick or a pair of nun-chucks. I always think of shortening a shotgun as kind of like shortening my nightstick and the question is always why? I visualize situations where you'd want to use less than lethal force, a barrel taboo between the eyes or a buttstroke to the chin works well.
There is very little I can't do with a full stock that I can do with a pistol grip stock, deleting the stock takes away a dandy club and sure doesn't add to accuracy.
Personally I'd rather bring an empty (full stock) shotgun to a knife fight than another knife, think about it.
I totally get what you're saying, and I understand where you're coming from. I'm going to significant weight reduction, however, so every inch helps. At least that's what my wife tells me...
quote:Originally posted by MudderChuck
I personally don't get a pistol grip shotgun at all, IMO the stock is part of the package. The stock is also a weapon and sure makes shooting a shotgun more efficient. Maybe for inside a car, or in a backpack or maybe inside a camper. other than that, pistol grips are pretty much just handicapping a fairly well designed gun.
I tend to prioritize function over "the look".
With a little training and practice, the barrel of a shotgun and the stock are just as efficient as a night stick or a pair of nun-chucks. I always think of shortening a shotgun as kind of like shortening my nightstick and the question is always why? I visualize situations where you'd want to use less than lethal force, a barrel taboo between the eyes or a buttstroke to the chin works well.
There is very little I can't do with a full stock that I can do with a pistol grip stock, deleting the stock takes away a dandy club and sure doesn't add to accuracy.
Personally I'd rather bring an empty (full stock) shotgun to a knife fight than another knife, think about it.
I totally get what you're saying, and I understand where you're coming from. I'm going to significant weight reduction, however, so every inch helps. At least that's what my wife tells me...
IMO there are special use situations where a pistol grip is handy, my campers companion had a pistol grip. It fit in my backpack (kind of). If it was the only shotgun I had, it wouldn't have a pistol grip and I sure as heck wouldn't cut the "original" wood to make it shorter. I also used it when I was traveling cross country, I'd lay it on the floor when I sacked out on the bench seat in my P.U. truck. I kept it inside my camper or tent when I went camping. Kind of a special use type gun, surely not my only gun.
As far as saving weight is concerned, I realize every ounce counts when you are backpacking, other than that I really can't see much if any weight advantage in cutting the stock.
I've made a couple, the first one split the web between my thumb and forefinger firing 3" magnums, it was shaped much like a revolver grip. My second followed the contour of the pistol grip in a normal stock, though I did have a raised portion, thumb and forefinger grooves, much like a target pistol and I avoided magnums.
Reloading was always a pain, maybe I just never got used to it. I can grab a handful of shells out of my pocket and reload my shotguns pretty quick, resting the stock on my hip. Seemed a lot harder doing it with a pistol grip.
Want a campers companion??? Get yourself a carriage gun with a pistol grip. You'd think reloads are slow, like everything else it just takes practice. I've knocked down 3-4 Doves in one pass with my double.
And I want it to look like this. Not cuz it's functional, but because I think it's cool. And that's all the reason I need.[8D]
We called those Cat hole companions, what we took with us when we had to crap in the woods.
I'm still a functionality over form type of guy. I don't really care what it looks like, as long as it is useful and functional.
And I want it to look like this. Not cuz it's functional, but because I think it's cool. And that's all the reason I need.[8D]
That's the style of grip I'm talking about that gives such guns a reputation of being a beast to shoot. The gun tends to slide back and the trigger guard bangs the hell out of your fingers.
They still look cool with a more vertical grip and are actually fun to fire. [:p]
That's the style of grip I'm talking about that gives such guns a reputation of being a beast to shoot. The gun tends to slide back and the trigger guard bangs the hell out of your fingers.
Understood. That's why at the very beginning of this thread I said I want something like this (but not exactly like):
Only I don't want it all the way around the grip, just adhered (somehow) to the back to cover the wood work, as well as support the meat between my thumb and index finger.
Set up as a home defense gun, the 18.5" barrel makes for a compact weapon. Points naturally too.
Do the same, but this time pretend you are holding a standard stock grip angle. Your elbow comes up without the bind and stress, your wrist is fairly relaxed. It's a natural motion.
The people that engineer these things don't do it on a whim, there is usually a reason behind it.
IMO no matter how cool it looks, it has to be shootable without breaking your forefinger and capable of being aimed if necessary.
As for me:
Neal
Just for the heck of it, stick your right hand out and pretend like you are holding a pistol, slowly pull it back towards your eye until the relief distance would be acceptable for shooting a shotgun.
I'm confident that I won't be holding this up and taking a bead in any traditional, normal sense of shotgun shooting. In fact, there's not even going to be a bead to look at.
DOOM DAMNIT! BOOM AGAIN!
Done [8D]
Just wondering.
Don't know for sure, but isn't there a long bolt running through where you want to cut it off?(the stock).
Yes, you are correct. That's why I'm still looking for something that covers the hole, as well.
Pistol grips are for looks only. Men who want a macho looking shotgun. Pistol grips make great movie props. Thats about all they are good for. If all you are going for is the look then great cut off the stock. If you want a good self defense gun keep the stock and buy yourself a 20" or 18" barrel for that 870.
If you want a good self defense gun keep the stock and buy yourself a 20" or 18" barrel for that 870.
It already has a 20" barrel. I'm going to cut it shorter.