Genesis of Seismic Shotgun Innovations

It was early in 2010, when my only shotgun was a 40-year-old Mossberg 500 I had owned for 30 of those years. I shot it only a few times. I really wasn't a shotgun guy. But on this day, I dug it out of the closet because I was going to the skeet range to shoot clays with my brother. That day confirmed why the shotgun stayed in my closet. Granted, the gun didn't fit me, and I had no training, but after 100 rounds of shoulder-pounding, I was done. Never again.

Back home, I took the old gun to my shop to clean it before I buried it in the back of the closet again. I was thinking, I really don’t like shooting shotguns. Just not my thing. But then I had an idea. Well, if I’m not going to shoot it, maybe, just for fun, I’ll convert it to a pistol-grip shotgun. And that’s what I did. I cut the barrel down to size, removed the buttstock, and made a pistol grip from it.

The very next day, I drove out into the desert with my new pistol-grip shotgun, water jugs, targets, and 100 rounds of target loads. I had no idea what I was getting into, not a clue how this day would alter the course of my life.
Going from someone who didn’t even like shooting a shotgun to an obsession with pistol-grip shotguns in just a few weeks was a life-changing experience.  I didn’t see that coming.

That day out in the desert was the most fun I’ve ever had with a firearm. It was pure luck that the grip I made turned out to be a good design; I just cut it out and sanded it smooth, shaping it to feel good in my hand. I was amazed at how comfortable it was to shoot, unlike the shoulder-pounding I got from the full stock.

I went through my 100 rounds of target loads and wished I had more. On my drive home, I thought, well, that was great fun! Now I could hit a target beyond ten feet with my point-and-shoot method.

To improve my accuracy, I picked up a laser and started training in my backyard, building muscle memory for the point-and-shoot method and extending my effective range to 10 yards. I thought, sure, I could practice more and get better, but what I really wanted was to be able to aim the shotgun.

I followed the same path you see today, pushing the shotgun out in front of you, adding straps and slings to stabilize it and reduce recoil, and mounting a red dot on the receiver. My accuracy improved, and I kept refining my method and modifying the shotgun. Still, the accuracy was not great. The shotgun was unstable and hard to control. Pushing it out in front made the felt recoil more difficult to manage than with hip shots.   

I was stuck here for a while, making minor improvements, but then I realized I was merely compensating for a terrible technique to begin with, and there was no fixing it. What I needed was a new technique. Then one day, my world changed. I had picked up a Remington 870 to convert it to a pistol grip. I found it much easier to fabricate a comfortable shooting grip because the trigger position was more favorable than on the Mossberg.

I had just finished the build and was amazed by how the new pistol grip felt in my hand and the control it gave me, with the trigger position so much closer. As I played with the shotgun, I cocked my elbow and drew the gun back. My cheek came to rest on the receiver. I looked down the barrel, and in that moment, I felt a rush of adrenaline and shivers up my spine as I realized this was it, the way to shoot the shotgun, imagining a red dot mounted on the barrel and a place to rest my cheek on the receiver. This transformed everything; it was not merely an improvement but truly groundbreaking.

I practiced this shooting method for a week or more to get comfortable with it. I tapped holes in the rib and mounted a Picatinny rail. I took a piece of ABS pipe, cut and shaped it into a cheek rest, and made a new sling to stabilize the shotgun. With my new accessories and the red dot mounted, I practiced the new shooting technique in my backyard.

Finally, the moment of truth arrived. Back to the desert I went, with my new creation and a few hundred rounds of ammo. In the first few rounds, I found the shooting method more comfortable and stable than anything I had experienced before. I was accurately hitting targets at 20 to 40 yards with ease, using target loads and buckshot. But how far out could it go with slugs? I found it easy to hit targets out to 50 yards.

I shot over 200 rounds that day, including target loads, buckshot, and slugs, with the accuracy of a full stock. My first crude prototype, hastily put together, looked more like a kid's science project or something out of a Mad Max movie. At the time, I lacked gunsmithing skills and the ability to achieve professional results. But that day, I didn’t care what my shotgun looked like. That day sent my obsession into overdrive as I was able to aim my pistol-grip shotgun accurately out to 50 yards. I was amazed at how much ammo I consumed. I had accomplished the impossible, something people had been attempting for decades. Today I proved it was possible, and now the real work would begin.

Over the next few years, I logged many hours learning gunsmithing skills and accumulating tools to achieve professional results. As my skills advanced, the refinement and performance of my builds improved. I’ve lost count of how many PGO shotguns I’ve built, in various models and actions, including pumps and semi-autos. With each new model, I would fabricate new grips. I started building my own molds and casting fiberglass grips and other parts as working prototypes. It was a never-ending cycle of building prototypes and testing. Over the years, I made hundreds of pistol-grip prototypes in search of the perfect grip that would give me the ultimate in comfort and control.

I tried my Shooting System on other types of guns as well, including an AK-47 in various calibers, including 12 ga. and a Ruger 10/22. Although I experimented with other firearms, the Remington 870 was at the core. That's where I put most of my efforts, not only to continually refine and improve the shotgun but also to train with it. 

In the prime of my training, I could easily shoot sub-6” groups at 100 yards with slugs from a standing position. I was addicted to shooting slugs and could easily match the accuracy of a full-stock shotgun. As pistol-grip designs improved, I had no problem comfortably shooting 60 to 80 1400-fps slugs in a training session, with no soreness or discomfort.

As the builds became increasingly refined and professional, so did the training and shooting methods. The PGO shotgun, together with the shooting method, forms the PGO Shooting System, which was recently dubbed the Seismic Shooting System (SSS).

The past 16 years have been an amazing journey of perseverance through tremendous obstacles in my life. At one point, the circumstances of my life forced me to abandon all my shotgun pursuits. For 9 years, I did not shoot my shotguns; all my gear was packed away. I converted many shotguns back to full stock and sold them, and I retired my favorite builds to the safe.

I never thought I’d see this day. Yet in life's cycles, you may come back to where you’ve always been, or end up where you thought you’d never be, or, if you’re fortunate, end up just where you wanted to be all along.

Life changed, and at 67, I thought it was now or never. I decided to finish what I started and bring my products and the shooting system I created to the world. I began with Shotgun Speed Bundles to reload your shotgun smoothly, reliably, and quickly. And now I am introducing Seismic Shotgun Innovations, including its products and training, to help you shoot your PGO Shotgun with comfort, control, and accuracy.

In the coming months, I’ll demonstrate the advantages and capabilities of the Seismic Shooting System. I’ll take you through the fundamentals of shooting positions, movements, and safety protocols. Over my years of product development and training, I have shot well over 30,000 rounds using this method. I also practice manipulation, movements, and shooting positions at home or in the backyard. Between live-fire and movement practice, I’ve brought the shotgun to my cheek about 50,000 times. The point is, there is a learning curve here; this is an entirely new way to shoot a shotgun. Many will find these movements intuitive and natural; others will find them awkward or too physically demanding. You don’t just accessorize your shotgun with the Seismic System and start shooting without going through a training procedure to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

For these and other reasons, I decided it was important to introduce the shooting system before releasing the product line. As we share the information and training guidelines via video and on the website, the product rollout will follow.

First available for the Remington 870, then the Mossberg 500.  Next in line will be conversions for the Tac 14 and Shockwave. And from there, we jump into the autoloaders, Tac 13, and Aftershock.  Details will be posted on the website.

This was a huge deal for me and another defining moment in my life. Sharing a major part of my life's work on the Seismic website and YouTube is another place I never thought I’d be. It’s like taking a shot in the dark, not knowing where it's going to land.