When Mossberg’s Shockwave and Remington’s TAC-14 hit the market, they were seen as fun novelties. They weren’t considered fighting weapons by any metric. However, in the last few years, they have gathered a bit of a following as combative weapons. They offer a very short platform that throws down a lot of power. If you are stuck in close quarters, then the Shockwave or TAC 14 could be an excellent option. Inside a very tight space like an RV, these guns offer you some real compact power.
Users can keep the weapon tight and close to the body, making it nearly as short as a pistol when used. At the same time, you are getting shotgun power. It’s a real hand cannon, more so than any magnum caliber pistol or revolver.
Unlike other short barrel options, a shotgun doesn’t lose much velocity as the barrel gets shorter and shorter. A 14-inch barrel on a shotgun isn’t compromising velocity much and isn’t threatening its terminal ballistics. These guns are a little over 26 inches long, making them shorter than most AR pistols and more powerful than equaling short subguns.
So What’s the Catch?
All the features of these little guns make them sound like great self-defense tools, so what’s the catch? Why did we assume they were all going to be novelties? The main problem with these micro-sized gauges is recoil. Shotguns, especially the 12 gauge variety, pack a real punch when it comes to recoil.
A stock helps stabilize the weapons and helps your body absorb the shock of recoil. These Shockwave-type firearms don’t have a stock, and the pistol grip-only design makes them tough to shoot. The classic push/pull recoil technique works and works well. It helps tame these beasts. The push/pull technique is best demonstrated with these guns because it makes such a big difference in your ability to control these guns.
That’s where a lot of people have issues. Mastering the push/pull isn’t as easy as many think. The general idea is to use your firing hand to pull just slightly while your nondominant hand pushes forward on the gun. This actively presses against the recoil impulse. This stretch-like feeling tames recoil and makes the gun aimable.
Push/Pull uses muscle and force, and it can be a bit tiring, especially when you are fighting with full dose loads of 12 gauge buckshot. I like the push/pull technique, but can it be done better? Or are their techniques that are least on par and might be easier to learn?
Introducing the Sling
Last month, I wrote an article on the sling tension technique that I used to stabilize stockless large-format pistols. The technique utilizes tension to keep the weapon stable, easy to aim, and easy to control. Whoever invented this technique is lost to time, but the SAS popularized it. It’s always been associated with submachine guns and submachine gun-like weapons.
Well, what if we take the push/pull technique and mix it with the stockless shotgun? We strap a two-point sling onto the front and rear of the gun and use it to generate tension and stability. I grabbed a Magpul MS1 sling and a Remington TAC-14. I own a few of these stockless shotguns, and my TAC 14 Hardwood turned out to be the only one outfitted for a sling from the factory.
I strapped it on, tried to size it up, grabbed a few different loads of buckshot and birdshot, and hit the range. I also brought a shot timer for science and got myself set up. The first thing I had to do was find the right adjustment. How long did the sling need to be? How tight, and how much room did I need to work?
I started with light birdshot and fired a few rounds using the same technique I would with a stockless 9mm subgun. I immediately found that my hand was a little too close to my lip when it came back just a bit and popped me in the mouth. No technique gets rid of recoil entirely. My thumb just brushing my lip was a bit of a scare. If I had a more powerful load, it might have hurt.
I let out about an inch of slack, and my rear grip was fully in my vision. This kept my hand from coming in a little too close to my face, but I kept it tight enough to put some tension. If you try the technique, you’ll have to find the right fit and length of sling for your use.
Blasting Away
With the right sling tension, I practice with those light-loaded birdshot rounds. Overall, I had some excellent results. After every shot, the bead found its way quickly back down and onto the target. My wrist was pain-free, and the gun didn’t buck its way out of my hands. I moved from birdshot to low recoil buckshot and harnessed the power of an ounce of lead to slam my steel targets and utterly destroy them.
With low recoil buck, I ran side-by-side tests with just push/pull, then with sling tension. One shot wouldn’t reveal much in the form of recoil control. I worked firing two shots from the low ready against a timer. With the standard push/pull technique, I was averaging times of about 1.89 seconds. With sling tension, right off the bat, I was hitting 1.6 seconds with both shots fired.
The sling tension method even got me down to 1.5 for one pair of shots. I also had better accuracy. There were a few splits with the TAC-14 where I’d miss one round with the standard push/pull. With the sling tension method, I never misplaced a load of buckshot. When I realized accuracy potential, I grabbed a few reduced recoil slugs and stepped off to 25 yards.
At 25 yards, I took my time and put the bead where I needed it to be. With a good squeeze, I sent the slug outward bound and heard the distant sound of steel clang. I rang that 10-inch gong over and over. Not rapidly. As long as I let the swinging slow down, I could ring it consistently.
Better Than Before
The sling tension technique effectively replicates what push/pull does. Is it better? I don’t think it’s better, but it’s simpler. It requires a sling, and you have to wear the sling, so it’s not as quick as grabbing the gun and just shooting. The sling tension technique makes it easy to stabilize the gun. I have a deal of practice with the push/pull technique with stocked shotguns.
I have arthritic shoulders. According to my doctor, I have the shoulders of an 80-year-old man. While I can handle a stocked shotgun, my push/pull with a pistol grip-only gun has always suffered. The sling tension technique simplified things for me and has given me greater control over the gun. I still think I should aim to strengthen my shoulders and master the standard push/pull, but for now, sling tension works pretty dang well.
