AO Review: The Best PGO (Pistol-Grip Only) Firearms in 2024
Travis Olander 01.15.24
We recently covered how some guns can get away with offering a short barrel that falls below the minimum 16″ or 18″ length requirements (for rifles and shotguns, respectively) and above the 12.5″ barrel length normally classifying them as pistols, but without running afoul of the National Firearms Act. These guns, called Pistol-Grip Only Firearms, or PGOs, don’t require a tax stamp and don’t qualify as short-barreled firearms normally classified by the NFA. But which ones are actually worth buying? Which ones are gimmicks, and which are quality constructions? Let’s review the top PGO firearms available in 2024.
Mossberg 590 Shockwave (Overall Best Pick)
- Barrel Length: 14.375″, 15″
- Overall Length: 26.37″, 27.5″
- Caliber: 12 ga., 20 ga., .410
- MSRP: $566 – $801
The Shockwave is the “O.G.” non-NFA firearm. It’s a perfect home-defense gun, built on Mossberg’s legendary military-issued shotguns and providing a highly maneuverable chassis capable of peppering any no-do-gooder with a wall of 12-gauge shot. The Shockwave is the first non-NFA gun to wholly embrace the idea of a pistol-grip only: Reading the letter of the law on short-barreled, Title II guns, and then following the law to a tee to create a gun that doesn’t meet any Title II definitions.
The man who came up with the idea of the Shockwave is Len Savage of Historic Arms. Sometime in the mid-2000s, Mr. Savage, a subject matter expert frequently called to testify in gun cases, recognized that it would, given federal laws defining NFA guns, be easy to create a shorty shotgun that was perfectly legal without a tax stamp.
Shockwave Technologies – a firearm furniture and accessory maker – worked with Savage to introduce such a gun using the Mossberg 590. Equipped with Shockwave’s “Raptor” birdshead grip, the overall length of the standard 590 shotgun could be reduced to just over 26″ by cutting the 18.5″ barrel down to a more practical 14″. The design was submitted to the ATF, who confirmed the firearm didn’t meet any definitions that made it a Title II firearm: It had no stock, so it wasn’t designed to be fired from the shoulder. It wasn’t considered a pistol because its barrel was longer than 12.5″, and it wasn’t an AOW because it was longer than 26″. And so the Shockwave was born.
Remington Tac-14 (Best Shockwave Competitor)
- Barrel Length: 14″
- Overall Length: 26.3″
- Caliber: 12 ga., 20 ga.
- MSRP: $552 – $807
Of course Remington developed a direct competitor to the Shockwave. It’d be surprising if they didn’t. And, if you prefer the monolithic action bar and steel receiver of the Remington 870 over the two-piece action bar and aluminum receiver of the Mossberg, the Tac-14 is a no-brainer. The Tac-14 also provides a more ergonomic forend, and its 4-round mag capacity can be expanded with an aftermarket tube extension replacing the factory magazine cap. Like its Mossy competitor, the Tac-14 is the epitome of a home-defense gun. It’s small, lightweight, built on an utterly dependable action, and it’s able to send a hail of shot shells at any threat.
Most shooters (who are right-handed) will appreciate the Tac-14’s better safety, too – it’s right next to the trigger, making it easy to depress without changing your grip or taking your finger far away from the trigger. The slide lock’s also easy to flick quickly with your index finger, providing good ergonomics and control when your movements might literally be under the gun.
Genesis Arms GEN-12 (Best Shot Shell AR)
- Barrel Length: 10.5″
- Overall Length: 26.5″
- Caliber: 12 ga.
- MSRP: $2,860 – $3,360
Pump actions are cool, but they lack speed and capacity. It makes perfect sense for the modular, tinker-friendly AR platform to get the non-NFA firearm treatment. Genesis Arms introduced their GEN-12 pistol-grip only, built atop .308 receivers (DPMS patterned) with a shot shell conversion. The buffer assembly and direct impingement gas system remain, but the standard AR bolt’s replaced with a heavier side-charger. The GEN-12’s standard lower parts kit is also upgraded with a lightweight Hiperfire trigger, while a massive flash can helps reduce the 12-gauge fireballs you normally expect from such a short barrel. Paired with a free-float M-LOK rail and receiver-length Pic rail, the GEN-12’s the perfect tacticool non-NFA firearm for those who appreciate high-capacity box mags and semiauto fire.
Henry Axe .410 (Best Lever-Action)
- Barrel Length: 15.14″
- Overall Length: 26.4″
- Caliber: .410
- MSRP: $1088 – $1212
Admit it: You wanted a chopped up Winchester 1892 the moment you saw Steve McQueen portraying Josh Randall, wielding the now-infamous “Mare’s Leg” repeater in Wanted Dead or Alive. Thanks to the folks as Henry Repeating Arms, you can get damn close without splurging on a tax stamp. The Henry Axe .410, available in blued steel or polished brass, is perhaps the most fun pistol-grip only on this list. Chambering 5 rounds of 2.5″ .410 shells, it provides some outsized fun in a perfectly legal 26.4″ package, and it doesn’t even break the bank compared to some of Henry’s other rifles. The exposed hammer, oversized lever, crispy trigger, and smooth Walnut furniture make the Axe genuinely comfortable to shoot and, with a barrel that’s nearly as long as most tactical rifles, it’ll provide good accuracy with .410 slugs.
Dark Storm DS-15 (Best ARs for Restrictive States)
- Barrel Length: 12.5″
- Overall Length: > 26″
- Caliber: 5.56 NATO, 300 Blackout
- MSRP: $1095 – $1495
AR pistols were first introduced as a means of getting around restrictive gun laws targeting AR-15 rifles. And then plenty of not-so-gun-friendly states took it further, regulating those pistols. Well, the back-and-forth game continues thanks to the non-NFA firearm: Dark Storm’s DS-15, which looks quite a lot like an AR pistol but most certainly is not, is about as close as you’ll get to a standard, “scary” AR-15 without owning a gun that meets the definition of a handgun or rifle.
Priced affordably with all the usual features you want in any black rifle – and optioned with a very attractive, gold-anodized billet receiver set – the DS-15 offers up an M4-like configuration with all the reliability and accuracy you’d expect from any decent AR. Most of these guns’ hardware is made in-house by Dark Storm with smaller bits, like the pistol grip and furniture, being provided by Hogue and Magpul.
SKO Mini (Best Affordable Semiauto)
- Barrel Length: 14.75″
- Overall Length: 27″
- Caliber: 12 ga.
- MSRP: $750
For those who can’t shell out a couple thousand on a top-tier AR “firearm” chambered in shot shells, the highly affordable and proprietary SKO Mini fits the bill. At well under $1,000, it’s by far the most affordable semiautomatic GPO chambered in 12-gauge, with a double pistol grip configuration that provides plenty of control and recoil mitigation. The underbarrel gas system interfaces with a decidedly AR-like aluminum receiver set and ambidextrous controls, complete with a short buffer tube, providing familiarity for most folks. Magazines offering up to 10 rounds of capacity are available. Although not shown, the muzzle is threaded for accepting the typical choke tube (it comes with a Tru-Choke thread pattern), as well as door breachers and any compatible muzzle device.
