I’m starting to think that all the truly great shotgun furniture died in the 1980s and 1990s. Okay, that’s not entirely true; we have Magpul and Mesa Tactical today, so our current predicament isn’t all bad. However, the Pachmayr Vindicator furniture—which has long been out of production—absolutely rocked the late 20th century. This was a time when you could still use “tough-sounding” names without worrying about the billionaire gun control lobby suing you.
What is the Vindicator Line?
The Vindicator line wasn’t relegated just to shotguns. In fact, it was primarily a series of pistol grips for revolvers and semi-automatic firearms. These grips were famous for a rubberized design that was incredibly tacky, featuring an aggressive texture. Eventually, the Vindicator system expanded to shotguns, offering both a rear pistol grip and a matching forend.
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The Vindicator pistol grip is their most famous product. It’s fairly neat but also increasingly tough to find. I got lucky on eBay and found a full set for my Remington 870 for about $125. I had to have it—and seeing as some people are trying to sell just the grip for over $500 for some absurd reason, I feel like I got a great deal.
The Vindicator: In Living Color
The Vindicator shotgun furniture lives up to its reputation for being extremely tacky and grippy. It is covered in a soft, “sticky” rubber design that feels unique in the hand. While the pump is fairly small and compact, the grip is the real star of the show. It’s shaped much like a revolver grip, giving off serious Colt Python vibes.
Most shotgun pistol grips rake backward, providing a slanted angle. The Vindicator, however, is forward-raking. This creates a very unique feel. It is rounded across the rear with a rubberized texture that is both soft and adhesive. That forward rake is interesting and surprisingly ergonomic.
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After installing the grip, I noticed that it makes the safety on the 870 a little tougher to reach. It has a small rubberized portion that sits right above the trigger guard, and my finger hits it every time I try to press the safety inward. It doesn’t stop me from manipulating the weapon, but it does require me to press past a slight obstacle.
To achieve this forward rake, the grip uses a two-piece attachment system: a small adapter piece attaches to the receiver, and the grip then attaches to that adapter. It’s simple to install and feels solid. Pachmayr used to claim the grip featured an “air pocket” to help reduce recoil. While that may be true, I suspect the material itself does most of the heavy lifting.
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Rocking and Rolling with the Vindicator
With the Vindicator furniture in place, there was nothing left to do but hit the range. Shooting pistol-grip-only (PGO) shotguns with vertical grips is usually a wrist-hurting experience. Most of the recoil is shoved directly into your wrist, making for an uncomfortable day. While options like the Raptor grip make PGOs more bearable, standard vertical grips usually fall short.
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The Vindicator is different. While you are still receiving more recoil into your wrist than you would with a stocked shotgun, the thick, wide, and heavily rubberized grip makes a massive difference. It is incredibly comfortable and doesn’t leave your joints aching after a few rounds.
The grip and forend work in perfect harmony. The tackiness of the forend allows for a slip-free hold, which is essential for a proper “push/pull” shooting platform. I can pull against the Vindicator grip to create the tension necessary to control the 12-gauge recoil effectively.
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I can blast through several tubes of ammo without feeling beat up. Sure, after 100 rounds, I’m getting a little tired, but shotguns in defensive encounters aren’t firing hundreds of rounds. From a performance perspective, I was able to put two rounds of buckshot on target in just under a second at ten yards. I’m faster and more accurate with a stock, but with this pistol grip, I was still able to keep my patterns within the A-zone.
Bring It Back
It’s time to bring the Vindicator grips back. Interestingly, the Remington 870 MCS (Modular Combat Shotgun) actually used the Pachmayr Vindicator grip, so it even has a history with military shotguns. The furniture is fantastic, and it’s a shame that Lyman acquired Pachmayr only to kill off the line. I say bring it back!
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