Maybe I'm an idiot, but...

[TheSayHeyKid]

Why is it that all shotguns marketed to the turkey hunting crowd all have thumbhole or pistol style grip stocks on them? My logic is that if I can bust a teal flying up the river corridor at break neck speeds and at 40 yards with a traditionally wristed shotgun, I'm pretty d*mn sure I can tip over a fat, old tom with that exact same shotgun. History has proven as such many times over. My guess is that it's just a marketing ploy by the manufacturers to sell more hardware, but I could be wrong. Thoughts?

 

[Firebird]

The same reason some turkey guns wear scopes-they are made to be aimed like a rifle, not just pointed and swung hard like you would on those teal

 

[TheSayHeyKid]

To that point I don't understand red dots or scopes on shotguns either as you are throwing a pattern and not a single projectile. I can see it being an aid to a new shooter for sure, but I still see it as a waste as I've never fanned a shot on a tom in my lifetime. H*ll...they hardly move. Just my opinion however and we know what opinions are like. HAHA!

 

[Vashper]

It is believed that the English (straight) stock is convenient with two triggers, and when it is alone, the pistol is more convenient, and besides, the butt may be shorter. That's how it's supposed to be, but I don't have a definite opinion myself.

 

[perttime]

Starting from the point that it is a rifle that throws a pattern....
I'm betting there are lots of people who have never, or rarely, shot a rifle with a traditional hunting stock - but are already comfortable with a pistol grip stock, or a near vertical grip.

 

[csmiffy]

It would be more useful when using lots of heavy loads I reckon for recoil mitigation. One shot on a turkey not so much. I made one years ago for my Mossy 500. Thats another story. As for the red dots, as some shotguns can patter in slightly different places to point of aim it could be used for a proper sight in with super full choke tight patterning loads, But then again if you know your shotgun well, that's a moot point as well

 

[PhotoCollector73]

You're all wrong. The REAL reason for the widespread use of thumbhole stocks and pistol grips is so that turkey hunters can ensure that they bag a big gobbler with quick accuracy. Otherwise, Steven Rinella will manifest himself behind them and smack them in the back of the head.

 

[lee4315]

I don't have one on my turkey gun, but I've heard the pistol grip can be more comfortable to hold still in the shooting position for a long period of time while the turkey is making up his mind to come closer to you.

 

[deewayne2003]

There is truth to being able to hold the thumb hole stock against your side while calling and keep the gun up on your knee.

I got the chance to use a Remington 870 12ga 3.5” with thumb hole stock while turkey hunting a couple years back - I noticed the calling and sitting was easier, but otherwise it was rather unwieldy.

Now the marketing side of my brain also says that the more specialized you make tools… the more tools you will sell because the more specialized a tool is the less likely it is to multi task effectively.

 

[TheSayHeyKid]

Had to chuckle when this article popped up today...

https://www.fieldandstream.com/guns/pistol-grips-vs-plain-stocks-on-turkey-guns/

 

[Joker12]

Pure marketing and nothing else. Another example is here in Michigan where crossbows are legal for deer most are sold with 3x9 scopes. That's for a 30-40 yard shot!

 

[HookMeUpII]

There is one valid reason, and its subjective person to person: Usually when turkey hunting, the hunter is seated against a tree or in a seat, with the shotgun up on a knee ready to go. To pull your dominate side elbow up, sitting back against a tree, with one or both knees bent, is a little more difficult. But once again...bit of a stretch. I do not use a pistol grip style. Personally all works the same to me.

Hard to describe in text but maybe it will make sense to some.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

First, @TheSayHeyKid ... Thanks for the link. Something to read over coffee.

Am I off? Looking at the photos at the top of the article. I get what they are trying to say, but technically aren't BOTH of those pistol grip? As a Savage 99 fan, some like a straight stock and some like a pistol grip. So to my way of thinking both of those pictured are pistol grip. Or is it different for shotguns entirely? (I am not a shotgun guy)

For what it's worth I'm with you: not a thumbhole stock or "pistol grip" guy, though I like my rifles to have a pistol grip stock.

 

[R.M.C.]

I don't understand why Mossberg in particular would use thumb hole stocks, with the tang safety on top. It makes it a real pain in the ass to push the safety off. Pistol grip is pretty much the same way, you'd have to have the world's longest thumb to reach the safety.

 

[BourbonTrail]

Fugly guns for fugly birds

I hunt turkeys purely out of malice. Same goes for whitetail (but that’s because they eat my mfkn tomatoes)…so I’m probably not a good reference.

 

[Velo Dog]

My religion forbids me to touch an ugly firearm, drink cheap scotch or marry a mean spirited woman.

 

[R.M.C.]

Fugly guns for fugly birds

I hunt turkeys purely out of malice. Same goes for whitetail (but that’s because they eat my mfkn tomatoes)…so I’m probably not a good reference.

+1

 

[sierraone]

I have never hunted turkeys, but have seen many of them in the wild on our lease. I did learn though a couple of years ago about the guns used to hunt turkeys. They are highly specialized as is the ammo for them. When my dealer was explaining them to me a couple of years ago, my first thoughts were WTF is that used for. So there you go. If you don't turkey hunt, don't be surprised at what you find.

 

[JPmbogo]

In the current ant-gun climate, be careful about your particular state laws governing shotguns with rifle-like features, e.g., thumbhole stocks and pistol grips. Washington State is about to pass a bill that will outlaw "assault" rifles. The bill contains language that includes semi-auto shotguns with such features under the definition of "assault" rifles to be illegal.

 

[mdwest]

My religion forbids me to touch an ugly firearm, drink cheap scotch or marry a mean spirited woman.

Mean spirited scotch and cheap women are permissible though! (Still can’t touch an ugly gun!)