I was searching for shotgun accessories. Mainly a collapsible butt stock for my Mossy since I fired that type of stock once and loved it. Or maybe the idea of it. Who knows, because in reality, I still really like a standard stock on any shotgun as well. But what I found with Mesa Tactical, I was instantly intrigued.
After talking with the owner and his staff, I found out a lot about not just the product itself, but also about the company, the drive and the pride to make their product in the USA. The one quote from the owner that I liked the most was “If I can’t make it better, I won’t make it.” And from the parts I have had the privilege of using, I can tell you these things are built tough. It makes a lot of sense why law enforcement uses their products.
We received from Mesa Tactical their LEO Vertical Grip adapter, their Recoil Stock Kit, and a 6-round Side Saddle shell holder with rail. The superstar is the Recoil Stock Kit as it comes with the Hogue over mold pistol grip, an Enidine buffer tube replacement with a 4 position collapsible stock. The unsung hero is the Vertical grip adapter which is thick and rugged and fits on the receiver like a glove. I’m not usually into the grips with finger grooves, but the Hogue was actually very comfortable and gripped easy.
The Recoil Stock Kit was pretty awesome. A shotgun is a pretty big boom no matter how you slice it, but with this kit in place, I was able to keep a better cheek weld through shots, keep the muzzle from flipping up after repeated shots, and those follow up shots were quicker and more on target than without the kit. I have a pretty sturdy frame and to me, shooting 12 guage all day isn’t really much of an issue, but with the kit on, it was a lot easier to control the actual shotgun altogether. Between the grip, the adapter and the buffer tube, this tames a 12g really quickly without being an overcomplicated system.
Installation was a breeze on the Mossberg. Two butt stock screws to get the pad off, one to remove the stock, and then one that comes with the adapter tightened on and you are ready to go. Pistol grip installs just like an AR grip with, again, 1 screw in the handle and all thats left is to thread on the buffer tube and you are done. Simple, clean and sturdy.
Is this kit a shotgun necessity? Well, that depends on you and your shotgun, and what it’s intended purpose is. Believe it or not a shotgun is still a very versatile and powerful weapon even if it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles on it. Adjustable stocks aid in everything from size differentials, to overall length as well as even your trigger pull. Pistol grips aid in manipulation, ergonomics and recoil control, and having something like that shock absorbing buffer tube between the two can reduce recoil by up to 70% to allow for a more diverse crowd to easily fire the 12 gauge and keep it successfully on target. I personally see a lot of value in the system and enjoyed using it thoroughly. I can’t wait to take a shotgun class and get some more drills and methods to get better with this system.
For more information, go check them out at www.mesatactical.com
