How To Shoot A Pistol Grip Shotgun?

Although pistol grip shotguns are very good options for home defense, it isn’t for everyone. A shotgun with a pistol grip and the one with stock on it do have a good recoil.

Now, just to dispel some myths, you do have to aim a shotgun, especially in close quarters where you would use it in a home defense type situation. If you are shooting even 15 yards down a long hallway, it’s not going to spread out.

You are still going to have a nice tight group, especially with something like buckshot or a larger shot. First of all, let me demonstrate how not to shoot a short shotgun with a pistol grip.

How Not To Shoot A Pistol Grip Shotgun?

Interests in pistol grip shotguns are at an all-time high. They are a lot of fun. But before I show you to shoot one, let me show you three ways on how not to shoot one.

1. Don’t Hold The Gun Close To Your Face 

First off is a painful one. It’s where you hold this pistol grip close to your face trying to aim the sights downrange. The idea here is you’ve got a greater chance of hitting the target.

But unfortunately, when this thing goes off, it’s going to pop you right in the mouth. You’re going to get a big fat blood blister or, even worse, knock out a tooth.

2. Don’t Attempt Hollywood Style Shooting 

The second one I don’t like comes from Hollywood, and it is shooting it from the hip. And the problem I have with shooting it from the hip is you don’t really know where your sights are lined up.

You don’t even know where the muzzle is pointed. This puts everything downrange or even collateral ricochet in danger. And it’s a dangerous way to shoot this.  

3. Don’t Shoot It Like A Pistol 

The other position I don’t like to see is where someone tries to shoot it like a pistol with two hands. The reason being is a lot of people that try that method just do not have the manual hand strength or manual dexterity to control that shotgun.

And some don’t even know what the shotgun is going to do after a shot. Even a follow-up shot is harder this way. Instead, I like to shoot a little differently.

Shooting A Pistol Grip Shotgun, The Right Way

Let me show you a little push-pull method. I like to actually push forward with my hands sometimes or pull back, or you can do the opposite there and pull forward with a forehand and pull back with the pistol grip. It will still kick a bit, but it’s a lot more controllable and a lot safer.

Tips For Shooting A Pistol Grip Shotgun 

I thought I would share a few tips on how to hold a pistol grip only shotgun properly and fire one.

1. Hold your arms out in front of you just like you would If it had a stock (a safe distance away from your face, obviously) and point it at the target you wish to kill.
2. When you fire, make sure your hands are firmly gripping the pistol grip. You will hurt more if your grip is loose. Initially, load a few lite fields.  
3. Keep the gun away from your face. You can get badly injured from it. By holding it by your side, it will recoil backward and away from you.
4. Keep your wrists and forearms straight by holding them higher if the grip is more vertical. 
5. Holding it low will cause your wrist to bend up, which will hurt. Especially if you are going to shoot a lot, you should hold it almost at armpit height.

The Safest Way To Shoot A Pistol Grip Shotgun 

Make sure your feet are at a comfortable distance apart. Place the shotgun about 12 inches from your body and hold it in both hands. Bring the gun just below the level of your shoulder so that it is parallel to your weak side.

The right side of the gun is facing you if you are right-handed. Aim at the barrel with your head turned down. Use the bead or blade, whatever is upfront on the muzzle, as a sighting aid.

Imagine the target is the ‘dot’ of an I, while the bead or blade is the ‘post’ of the I. Now position the sight just below the target. Keep your elbows relaxed while leaning forward slightly. You should be able to fire and reload smoothly without any problems.

Alternative Options (Better Than Pistol Grip?)

A bolt holds the pistol grip in place. You can remove the bolt. Instead of the pistol grip, the shotgun end can be fitted with an easier-to-use apparatus.

The only thing holding the pistol grip together is hard-headedness. I apologize if this is not helpful, but it is true, nonetheless. For this little range session, I recommend you bring a shotgun with a conventional stock.

For comparisons of the two shotguns side-by-side. That might be a better approach than telling you, “I told you so.”

Why Are Traditional Pistol Grip Shotguns Outdated?

It makes a big difference what kind of pistol grip is used. It’s difficult to use without flexing the wrist if it is one of those abominations that is 90 degrees from the bore.

The body can’t align itself with that gun, so it will be difficult to control the recoil without injuring that flexed wrist. That can be solved by putting a PG similar to ‘Brideshead’ on it.

Maybe a PG forearm could be used instead of the NPS forearm. Thus, the arms can be more efficiently able to absorb recoil if the gun is held in a certain way.

Finding The Best Alternative To PG Shotguns 

It is highly recommended that you only use the lightest loads possible for this session. Don’t make yourself hurt more than necessary. Heavy birdshot loads, full house buck loads, or even heavy slug loads could hurt a new shooter and cause him or her to flinch.

Both arms should be flexed 90 degrees at the elbows, with both hanging from the shoulders. Allow your shoulders and elbows to flex, but don’t lock them. Both hands should be firmly gripped on the gun.

Position yourself on the shooting hand side of the target line, about 45 degrees away from the target line. Your weight should be shifted slightly from the front foot to the back foot and the feet about shoulder-width apart. Basically, that’s the boxing stance.

About halfway between the waist and armpit should be where the gun is right now. You should also place the fingers of your shooting hand against the side of your rib cage-not in front of it.

In order for the gun to recoil, you want to avoid hitting anything when it recoils against the elbows and shoulders. Getting to hit something is the most fun part of all this. The use of a laser in this application is one of the few I would recommend seriously, strongly, and without reservations.

Laser guides make it easy for users to quickly acquire muscle memory so they can point their guns at the target faster and accurately. It will also save a lot of range time and ammo.

Final Words 

Even using good form, it is hard to shoot heavy loads without hurting, as the learning curve is steep, the ability to hit diminishes quickly without constant practice, and it is difficult to shoot heavy loads without getting injured.

Using a full stocked gun in an indoor ready position for five minutes will demonstrate how unnecessary a pistol-grip shotgun is. It’s best to avoid it altogether. If you do like to own one, make sure you learn how to shoot a pistol-grip shotgun properly. 

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