well just look at it ,,,that should answer your question :lol:

 

^^ wut?

OP, They are not painful to shoot. The recoil doesn't go straight into the web of your hand like your standard pistol grip. Also the positioning of this grip allows you to lock your wrist a bit better. Similar to a glock grip angle vs. 1911.

I have shot the factory mossberg grip, hogue tamer, birdshead grip and pachmayr vindicator. The birdshead didn't leave the web of my hand sore like the rest and worked best with the tang safety.

I'd actually recommend a Mossberg 500/590 if you are starting a new project with this set up.

 

OK, so White7's rather unhelpful response not withstanding: I am shocked that only one person had an opinion on this once popular PG style!(BTW- thanks Ghost!)
Does anybody else have any experience(beyond the merely observational thank you!) with these that might help me with this next project?
As before, useful responses would be most gratefully appreciated.
BB
:wink:

 

I have one. Mine was marketed by Mossberg and came packaged with a 18" barrel for the Remington 870. I have owned that grip now for 12 years. It has been on all of my various 870's at one point or another. It currently resides on an 870 Police Magnum with an 18" barrel and a +2 magazine extension. It is for fun only as I believe the full length stock is a necessity for effective use. I have blasted away with Buck, Slugs and birdshot. It is byfar a superior grip for allowing recoil to dissipate rather than bruise the hand. Think of the old plow handle grip on a cowboy revolver. The gun goes bang and she rolls in the hand. the Birds head works similar. I could see one as a breacher gun or a backup to a rifle in the next zombie infestation but mine is used as a conversation piece and fun gun with friends. It is simple to put the short 12" LOP stock back on for serious social work.

As a side note it is by far the best option for Mossberg 500 models since the safety on the receiver is so easy to access with either hand. Finding a Mossberg 500 model birds head grip is the problem. They are like hen's teeth.

By the way... my youngest son thinks it looks cool when I put it together with the goodies and heat shield. Just like one of the guns in his video game.

He did NOT like shooting it however. :lol:

 

Another option is to find a beater pistol-grip style buttstock and cut that down - that's generally what folks did before they had either the bird's head or dedicated pistol grip option.

 

No one asked for my opinion but that's never stopped me before. I don't see the point in a PGO on a shotgun with a barrel longer than 10" or so.

 

No one asked for my opinion but that's never stopped me before. I don't see the point in a PGO on a shotgun with a barrel longer than 10" or so.

make that 12-14 inches and i would agree.

 

That's where the "or so" factors in.

 

Does anybody else have any experience(beyond the merely observational thank you!) with these that might help me with this next project?
.
BB
:wink:

well what experience are you looking for ,you said you HAVE the BH grip,,you say YOU have an 870 ? well slap it on an shoot it theres your first hand experience problem solved

 

I use a Birdhead grip on my 870 from time to time.They work as long as you use the proper hold and fire the gun from shoulder level.

I made this grip from an old Wingmaster walnut stock

 

Your SBS is a beauty, Banshee. I love it.

If anyone wants to make a birdshead PG from an old wooden stock, they can look at these pictures first and notice that the original curve of the old stock's hand grip should not be retained. And for Mossbergs, the shaft of the Allen bolt for my SpeedFeed PG is 1-11/16" long and has a lockwasher; the total length is about 2-1/32" long. However, remove the trigger group first before screwing in the new stock bolt, making certain that it stops at the inner wall of the reveiver, or risk breaking the safety. The plug has a small center hole so that it can be pulled out with a paper clip or a stouter hook of some kind. The plug is about 1-7/16" long, but it is cleverly made in that it has a smaller secondary diameter with a small line of plastic added to just make a little contact with the stock bolt hole. That minimizes the friction so that less pull is required to pull the plug out. A wooden plug could imitate that design, with a little grease applied so that it can be removed more easily.

 

Ask this guy, he's got experience with a mossberg 500 birds head grip. Made by shockwave technologies called the raptor.

 

I have a Hogue 12"LOP on my 590, and an ATI pistol grip on the 500. I saw an advertisement somewhere for a birds head grip for a M500, and would love to get one. It sure looks comfortable, and would surely take care of that problem of the sore web part of the hand someone mentioned a few posts up, but of course I can't recall where I saw the darn ad for the BH PG! Nice pics Banshee. I'm eventually going to get one of those for my M500.

 

http://shockwavetechnologies.com/site/?page_id=14

By the way, one thoughtless hold on the grip can allow the back of the trigger guard to break your middle finger, which is there to work the slide release.

 

http://shockwavetechnologies.com/site/?page_id=14

By the way, one thoughtless hold on the grip can allow the back of the trigger guard to break your middle finger, which is there to work the slide release.

well, no doubt you better have a good hold on it when you pull the trigger. The recoil of my shorty 12 gauge with a bird head pistol grip is not as bad as my Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull. That ***** hurts!!

 

http://shockwavetechnologies.com/site/?page_id=14

By the way, one thoughtless hold on the grip can allow the back of the trigger guard to break your middle finger, which is there to work the slide release.

I'll have to remember that as i just placed an order for one of these.

 

Be still, my heart. Such a work of beauty.

 

Thanks guys {hs# for the post about the Shockwave Technologies Raptor birdshead grip. I reviewed their website, and a few YouTube video reviews and demos and I'm impressed...this looks like the real deal. I just finished placing an order for one to go on my M500.

 

It's good to have you here in the Basement with us, OneSharpShooter. Please remember to always first remove the trigger group on any Mossberg before changing stocks, so that you can verify that the new stock bolt does not enter the receiver, or risk breaking the tang safety.

 

It's good to have you here in the Basement with us, OneSharpShooter. Please remember to always first remove the trigger group on any Mossberg before changing stocks, so that you can verify that the new stock bolt does not enter the receiver, or risk breaking the tang safety.

Thanks for the tip..I've never done that before (removed the trigger group before replacing), BUT I sure will from now on. I really appreciate it!

 

For my mossy 500 20ga, I was going to go with the speedfeed birds head, but decided to cut the stock instead. I did a rough birds head shape but kept the original curve. Ive already cut the barrel to 18.75. Using the C.A.R. method, she kicks less than any other long arm Ive every used, stock or none. Using 3" shells isn't as much fun but no where near as painful as a vertical PG (never again!). Thats my first hand .02

 

I could shoot with a birdshead grip all day. No more painful than using a pool stick. Here's mine.

Only thing I would suggest is adding something to enhance the grip. I did a samurai style lace for now but am thinking about what to go with that will make it even better. I would also add a front grip of your choice to give you better control when you want to shoot higher recoil ammo or look down the sight or scope without a stock. Hope this helps.

 

Only thing I would suggest is adding something to enhance the grip. I did a samurai style lace for now but am thinking about what to go with that will make it even better.

Hogue makes quite a few different sizes and styles of slip-on grip enhancers, you might need to take the grip off to slide one over the smaller end, but I would definitely look into one of those.

 

MBA,
Thank you for posting a pertinent reply! WHile I can appreciate the relativity of the previous posters responses(being all about BH grips in general) they skewed from my main query which was about using it on an 870. I suppose a BH is a BH but not every accesory that is available for an 870 is available for a mossback and vice versa.
Now all you need is a rayskin underlayment for the lace job and yer set!
BB
:wink:

 

Only thing I would suggest is adding something to enhance the grip. I did a samurai style lace for now but am thinking about what to go with that will make it even better.

Hogue makes quite a few different sizes and styles of slip-on grip enhancers, you might need to take the grip off to slide one over the smaller end, but I would definitely look into one of those.

Niiice. Thanks for the info. I'll definitely check it out.