Compact Firepower: Choate Machine’s Top Folder Shotgun Stock

As a big fan of shotguns, my first Form 1 was a Mossberg 590 short-barrel. I used a 10.25-inch barrel, a three-round magazine, and a vertical grip as a pump. I was more or less stuck with that type of pump due to the short nature of the design, but my stock selection was off the charts. I’ve tried a few different options, but one of my favorites was the Choate Machine and Tool Top Folder Stock.

Since that’s a lot to type, I’m just going to call it the Choate stock from here forward. What drew me to the Choate Stock was…a bad movie. Have you ever seen a Ben Affleck flick called Reindeer Games? It isn’t great, but the always awesome Gary Sinise plays the bad guy and his weapon of choice captured me as a young man.

He wielded a Franchi PA3/215. This was an uber-short, pump-action shotgun that cut a very distinct profile. My Mossberg 590 is a cheap imitation of that Franchi. The Choate top-folding stock certainly isn’t identical, but it works. It also works to keep the gun as compact as possible while still having a stock.

The Choate Tool Top Folder

The stock is ridiculously simple. Choate has been making shotgun accessories since before I was born. I’d argue this stock invokes an old-school shotgun design we don’t see much these days. When was the last time a shotgun company produced a top-folding stock? Currently, it seems like ATI and Choate are the only two making top-folders.

Shotgunners know that Choate makes quality gear, and the Choate stock lives up to that reputation. The stock is made mostly from steel. The pistol grip is polymer as is the butt pad, but the rest is steel. It’s solid and heavy. The Choate stock weighs two pounds. Even though it may look a little skimpy, it doesn’t feel skimpy at all.

The Choate stock has that old-school length of pull. It’s 14.25 inches, so it’s a bit on the long side. It doesn’t feel as long as it is, but maybe I’m fooling myself. Typically, a 14.25-inch stock makes me feel stretched out, but maybe it doesn’t feel so bad because the rest of the gun is so short.

With the stock folded over the top of the gun, the overall length is still under 26 inches, making it shorter than a Shockwave or a similar firearm. This makes it incredibly maneuverable with or without the stock folded. That’s nice for defensive use in and around vehicles and in similar situations. Cue the photo of the Secret Service at Augusta with top-folding Remington 870s.

Wheeling and Dealing with the Choate Stock

When the stock folds over the top of the gun, the butt plate folds with it. This allows the stock to sit relatively flat along the top of the gun. That design means you can’t use red dots. You can’t use ghost ring iron sights either. You need a bead or a barrel-mounted set of rifle sights. I had to remove my red dot to mount the stock, so I’ll probably ditch the rail at some point.

With the stock folded, you can’t use the sights, but at extreme close ranges, the gun is still very usable. The benefit of a shotgun is that buckshot tends to cover a multitude of sins when it comes to poorly aimed shots. You still have to aim — or I guess point the gun in this case — but a load of buckshot to the torso can switch the lights off.

I fired a few rounds at five to ten yards with standard buckshot, and with an IPSC target, I could still reliably put the pellets in the C and A zone. It’s not optimal, but it’s usable. I’m lucky to live a simple life, more akin to a hobbit than a tactical ninja, so I don’t see a situation where I’ll need to use this thing with the stock folded.

However, if I were a tactical ninja protecting the President in Georgia, I could take a snapshot at the bad guys as I leapt off that limousine.

Unfold It

As you’d expect, unfolding the stock makes shooting a lot easier. The Choate stock locks via a stout button. Press it, open it, and boom…you’re ready. A chunk of steel secures the stock and will absorb 12-gauge recoil without breaking, bending, or tapping out.

The stock curves downward to allow you to get low and behind a bead sight with ease. You don’t get much of a cheek weld, but you probably don’t want one. A thin metal stock plus 12-gauge recoil won’t feel great. Cheek weld is desirable and, for me, helps me shoot instinctively with a shotgun.

Not having a cheek weld kind of sucks, but it’s a sacrifice you make with this type of stock. If you’re planning to use slugs at 100 yards or more, this stock might not be for you. Sure, I can put buckshot on target with ease, but the combination of minimalist sights and the lack of a cheek weld doesn’t do you any favors for slug precision.

Shooting buckshot with the Choat, I’m not as fast as I am with a traditional stock. I can put two rounds on target in under a second, but only just barely. With a traditional stock on a pump shotgun, I can put two rounds of buck on an A-zone-sized target in about .75 of a second. The Choate stock does nothing to absorb recoil and without the index point for my cheek, it slows me down slightly.

Recoil mitigation techniques will be your best friend with the Choate stock. That thin little buttstock does nothing to protect your shoulder, so make sure you use a little push/pull when you start shooting.

The Drip

The Choate stock isn’t the best stock, but it does make my wanna-be Reindeer Games shotgun look pretty cool. I don’t plan to use this SBS for anything serious, but it’s a ton of fun. It’s remarkably compact and still retains the stocked-fire aspect of a fighting shotgun. It has become a dedicated mini-shell gun for me just because of its micro-sized design and the ease of installing a Defender Tactical mini-shell adapter.

I own a 990 Aftershock, and my goal is to file an SBS stamp and replace the pistol grip with a Choate top-folder. I think that will be one helluva shotgun as well. Again, it’s not a great stock, and it’s not a cheap stock, but it’s a well-made, compact, and very functional stock. It’s old-school, but it’s still in production.

If you want the ultimate compact stock — or just want to pretend to be Dollar Store Gary Sinise — it’s perfect for your next build.