Garmonbozia said:
Wtf was mossberg thinking when they put that together?
Probably product placement in a Schwartzenegger action film followed by widespread demand and increased profits. But . . .
The Missus and I bought one as our Christmas present to each other back in 2011. After learning local ranges don't allow pistol grips, we hired a RO/SO to give us a "lesson" on it to get around the range rules. It was a blast, and we quickly learned how to be adequately accurate from the waist (not hip) firing position - by "adequately accurate" I mean hitting stationary clays at 20' over 95% of the time. But . . .
I wanted that last 5%, too, so I replaced the weed-eater grip with a front pistol grip and took another "lesson" last month with it in this configuration (referred to in another thread as "Notachainsaw"):
As you might guess, my accuracy with the new grip held at eye level (no rear sight on a Chainsaw) was just as good, maybe a little better. But . . .
I was having trouble getting the sling short enough to use it isometrically as a stock, and the Knoxx popped me once in the upper lip, right below the nose. I also found it's much more tiring (at 66) to hold a loaded shotgun at eye level (without a shoulder stock and safely away from my face) than at waist level. So . . .
I've ordered an ATI side-folding stock for it (same model that's on my Ruger Mini-14 Tactical) so I can run either position (waist with stock folded, or eye with stock unfolded). I won't know which foregrip I want to use until the new stock is installed, but I'm thinking I'll go back to the weed-eater. There's no place in our house I can shoot farther than 20' and I've learned to use the LED light under the barrel as a wide-focus pointer for low-light situations.
All of which brings me to my understanding of
the purpose of a Chainsaw:
It's a PLATFORM upon which you can experiment. The factory gives you one outside-the-box possibility to stimulate your imagination, but the purpose is to combine home defense with FUN (during "training").
The only real drawback so far has been that I can't find a zippered case that can hold the Chainsaw with its weed-eater handle in place . . . .