As many of my articles begin, this one also starts in my local gun shop. Perusing the racks of the gun shop with a buddy, we came upon the Mossberg Shockwave. On a whim, I asked the owner if I could handle it, and I was impressed with how short it was. Technically, this is not a shotgun. It is a “Firearm,” per ATF guidelines, as it exceeds the 26.5 inch requirement and has no stock. Most of us just call it a shotgun, though.
My buddy and I left the shop and went our separate ways. Over the course of the next week, we spoke about the little Shockwave quite a bit. The more we talked about it, the more I researched the concept, and I think it’s a neat idea. The thought of having an extremely short shotgun around is just very appealing. Granted, it’s a specialized, niche weapon, not something people are likely to take pheasant or grouse hunting. I’m cool with that.
Disclaimer
Initially, I contacted Mossberg to see if they’d send me a Shockwave for a review. I had to leave a message and they never responded back to me, ignoring my request. As such, I have no vested interest in the outcome of this review. I purchased a Shockwave at my local gun store. This review is utterly unbiased.
Tech Specs
Let’s see what we’re working with on this particular model.
- Barrel Length: 14.375 inches
- Gauge: 12
- Chamber Size: 3 inches
- Action: Pump
- Finish: Cerakote (Flat Dark Earth)
- Capacity: 5+1
- Overall Length: 26.37 inches
- Sights: Bead
- Stock: Synthetic, Raptor Grip, Corn Cob Fore end w/Nylon Strap
- Weight: 5.3 pounds
- Choke: Cylinder Bore
The receiver is drilled and tapped on top for the addition of accessories such as a laser.
There are quite a few other options with this model. In addition to the 12 gauge, there are also ones available in 20 gauge and .410 bore. Some are black. Some have wooden grips and fore-ends. A few models have lasers, one has a Picatinny rail for mounting optics. There’s even one that’s magazine-fed.
MSRP for this firearm is $606, but I picked mine up at the shop for around $450.
Shockwave Accessories
Manufacturers have a few accessories out for the Shockwave that folks might find to be useful. Paychmayr has a grip out of it that pads the shooter’s hand from recoil. GG&G’s Side Saddle 5-Round Ammo Carrier would be a useful addition. Nightstick has a fore end assembly with an integral light for the Mossberg 500/590/Shockwave that would be very handy. Crimson Trace’s Lasersaddle is a laser aiming tool to get the Shockwave on target.
Ammunition
The Shockwave will handle pretty much any 12 gauge ammunition that any other shotgun will handle. One of the wonderful things about the 12 gauge is its versatility. Birdshot, Buckshot of all varieties, flares, slugs, breaching rounds… the list goes on seemingly forever. The shotgun is nothing if not versatile.
For my needs, I generally just use buckshot (typically OO type). Often, I grab the low-recoil variety because I don’t enjoy recoil. Plus, if you can find the Federal Tactical Low Recoil, that load shoots very tight patterns. In fact, it shoots the tightest patterns I’ve ever seen from shotguns.
Controls
All controls work well. The tang-mounted safety is ambidextrous and functions fine. The slide release is located to the right and rear of the trigger guard and works well. I’ll admit that I’m more used to the Remington 870’s slide release and my hand instinctively goes to the front of the trigger guard after decades of training on that platform. Nevertheless, Mossberg’s placement of this device works well enough.
The slide works the action very smoothly. Some people complain that the fore end rattles a little, but it didn’t bother me.
Power
I’ll be upfront, in that I’m not really a huge shotgun fan. I’m more of a rifle guy. So why the shotgun?
Power. And lots of it! For short-range power, it’s tough to beat it. Whether in the home facing an attacker or in the woods repelling a bear, the power factor is very high.
Recoil
With great power comes great recoil. The Shockwave’s recoil is stout, so it’s not a good idea to put the weapon up to your face to aim it and pull the trigger. You might end up missing a tooth or with a large bruise.
Low-recoil ammunition helps to tame the recoil. Even with that, the Shockwave is a handful to shoot, and you’ll want to have a very tight grip on it. The loop on the fore-end comes in quite handy, helping to anchor the fore-end into the shooter’s grip.
With full power loads, you will want to hang onto the weapon aggressively.
How To Shoot the Mossberg Shockwave
There are a couple of shooting positions that I’d like to share because they help to tame the recoil. I learned the principle from my Center Axis Relock training, and it applies to shotguns just as it does to rifles and handguns.
Low Position
The first position is firing from the hip (I just call it the “Low” position). I recommend it for very close work, such as within five yards. Blade your body so you’re facing the target with the left side of your body if you’re right-handed. Grasping the weapon tightly, you pull the weapon in tight to the body so that, when it recoils, the recoil drives the weapon past your right side. That way, the recoil doesn’t hit you directly, it goes past your body and your arms act like shock absorbers.
Aim over the barrel, using your torso like a turret to line up the shot. If you need elevation or depression, just lean your body forward or to the rear. The body acts like an aiming platform for the weapon.
Medium Position
The second position is higher, about even with your chest (I call it the “Medium” position). Same principle applies – pull it in tight and blade your body. The grip should be on the front of your pectoral muscle with you aiming over the barrel. Your torso is a turret that can be adjusted. This position works at longer ranges, perhaps out to around 15 yards. Be advised, it does take a little practice to get the elevation right.
High Position
Finally, you can hold up the Shockwave in the High/Extended position. Extend your arms out so that the gun will not slam into your face during recoil. Aim over the top of the barrel using the bead sight. Beware, shots tend to go a bit high when shooting in this manner, so you might need to aim a little lower than expected. It took me a few shots to adjust, but once I got the angle down, all was good.
Again, practice will pay huge dividends with these positions.
Pattern Spread
Why is aiming so important? I’m sure we’ve all heard the “You don’t have to aim a shotgun — just point it in the general direction of the target and the buckshot will spread and hit whatever you want it to.”
Unfortunately, this is some of the most idiotic advice I’ve ever heard. It couldn’t be further from the truth.
At five yards, the pattern of OO buckshot is one large hole. At seven yards, it’s still one hole. However, at 10 yards, it begins to spread dramatically from the 14-inch barrel; the pattern covered the head of the target, with one pellet missing.
At 15 yards, the pattern will cover approximately half of the full-size silhouette target.
So it starts out very small and begins spreading around 10 yards, where it really begins to spread quickly. This is why it’s important to pattern each shotgun that you own, so you’ll know how they react with various buckshot loads.
The Mossberg Shockwave at the Range
The Shockwave held very few surprises. Initially, the spring in the magazine tube was stiff, and I had to really push the rounds in there. By the third magazine full of five rounds, the shells were loading much more easily, and things improved from there. It just took a little action to get it smoothed out. Beyond that, the Shockwave ran like a top.
Reliability was 100%, with all shells feeding and ejection perfectly. I ran three types of buckshot through it: Sellier & Bellot OO Buck, Federal Low Recoil OO Buckshot, and Federal Tactical Low Recoil OO Buckshot.
As mentioned, recoil is very stout, but as long as you use sensible shooting positions, you will be fine.
I’m not going to lie, this thing is a canon. Touching off a round indoors is going to be an enlightening experience if you ever are forced to do so. I recommend using hearing protection if that ever happens and you have time to put it on.
Is the Shockwave a good defensive weapon?
Some people say that this is nothing more than a range toy, but I believe it is definitely a functional weapon. At close quarters such as room distances or across-the-house distances, it will prove to be devastating.
Considering its very short length, it is maneuverable in close quarters. There’s no stock to get in the way around corners and such. I’ve seen people who had installed a brace on the Shockwave, and I think this would be the way to go. Unfortunately, with the newfound ban on braces (as this is written), they are verboten. Hopefully, that over-reaching legislation will be defeated in the courts in the future.
Part of the charm of this little non-shotgun shotgun is that it’s so small and can easily be tucked out of sight next to the bed or other convenient hiding spots. It can be nearby and ready while maintaining a low profile.
Is this the world’s best CQB weapon? No. You only get two points of contact with it (both hands), and you have to work at it to be accurate with this weapon. However, if you’re using it realistically, such as inside the house, you should be fine at such close ranges. It’s a tiny package that can unleash hellfire.
Not For Novices
I don’t believe this is a weapon for novices because of the level of recoil, which is likely to scare new shooters away. Even those who are only casually familiar with shotguns probably won’t be best served by the Shockwave.
Aside from the recoil is the fact that it’s so short that aiming is difficult, considering that it has no stock. It will take some practice to be able to fire this weapon without being able to aim it well. For these reasons, I’d suggest that only experienced shooters pursue this weapon.
Various Uses for the Mossberg Shockwave
Just brainstorming a little, I came up with a few possible uses for this tiny beast.
- Home Defense: The Shockwave shines in this department.
- Truck Gun: To tuck away discreetly in a vehicle, the Shockwave would be great. Heavy-duty power in a package that just disappears until it’s needed.
- Hiking: especially in bear country. Having this much power available to me in the event I might encounter a bear would be reassuring. The Shockwave could disappear into a backpack for times when you want to be a little more discreet. Considering that it has sling swivel studs fore and aft, attaching sling swivels and a sling is no challenge at all.
Final Verdict
Overall, I have to say I like it. It fits a somewhat narrow niche, given its limited range of accuracy. The attractive allure of the Shockwave is the power it offers in such a small package that can be discreetly tucked away until it’s needed.
Admittedly, the recoil offsets the pleasantries. I realize I’ve mentioned that a few times now, but I feel justified in emphasizing the recoil. Despite it being present, I unloaded a few magazines full of OO buckshot rapidly at targets and found the platform to be quite effective at reasonable distances.
This is more than just a neat range toy. The Mossberg Shockwave fulfills a few niche purposes. Try one out… if you dare.
