Of all the Turkish shotguns out there, Stoeger is about the only current manufacturer I would take a chance on. They have the parts support and aftermarket to make it potentially worthwhile. If something breaks, the parts are there to fix it. If something needs improved, the aftermarket is there with a solution. Plus, with Beretta as a parent company, the hope is that maybe the Stoegers are just a notch or two above everything else coming from Turkey.
As far as defensive pump action shotguns go, the natural choice is the P3000 Freedom Series Supreme. An 18.5” P3000 with a longer than normal magazine tube, ghost ring sights, and what is one of the cheesiest adjustable, folding, pistol grip stocks I have ever seen. (Caveat, I haven’t seen that many, to be honest). The adjustable stock just wasn’t working here because the mechanism that allowed the stock to fold was bulky, and got in the way of a proper firing grip. The reach to the trigger was insanely long. Even my Skeletor fingers struggled. As the cherry on top, the adjustment range on the stock basically started at a 14” LOP and got longer from there. In practice, the stock just didn’t work even though on paper an adjustable and side folding stock reads like a really cool feature.
There are stock adapters available for Stoeger 3000 series shotguns from MOA Precision and S&J Hardware to run Magpul SGA stocks on the guns. That would undoubtedly be the best solution. What I really wanted to know though is could Stoeger have put together a better shotgun package from the word go, and saved the consumer the work (and expense) of having to do it themselves? That became the mission. Build a better defensive shotgun using Stoeger’s own parts.
Fortunately for me, there is really good aftermarket support for the Stoeger shotguns, including factory parts. Midwest Gun Works, and shopstoeger.com carry factory parts for the 3000 series of Stoegers. Stoeger makes a compact stock for the M3000. However, everyone who sells it says it is only for the M3000 and M3500. even Stoeger’s own tech support guys said the same. M3000 and M3500 only.
I wasn’t convinced and ordered one anyway from MGW. Had a fair inclination that the M3K extended safety button would also work on the P3000, so got one of those too. Both parts together cost $78 plus shipping and tax. The mounting hardware for the stock was included with the stock.
After a few anxious days waiting on USPS to hopefully not lose the package, the moment of truth was here. Turns out, perfect fit. The stock assembly bolt, included shim, the stock itself, all fit perfectly. The biggest struggle was figuring out how to get two washers and a nut on the assembly bolt to all line up correctly at the same time.
Turns out the M3K extended safety button works just fine, as suspected. The safety installs much like an 870’s safety. Use a punch to remove a pin. Be sure to watch for the captive spring. Pop the old safety out, pop the new one in. Reinstall the spring and the pin that holds it all there. Done. Actually probably the easier than replacing the stock.
At the end, I have a shotgun with much better handling characteristics. The LOP is almost right at 13”. A manageable LOP for most people, and I have a place to put a few spare shells.
While a bigger safety isn’t a must have, easier manipulation of the safety is important to me. Since I was trying to beat Stoeger with their own parts, I stuck with their parts. There are though some other options on the safety button from MOA Precision as well.
I imagine Stoeger could put their compact stock and extended safety on the factory P3000 FSS for less than it cost them to put that ATI abomination of a stock on the gun. Allowing Stoeger to sell a really well kitted gun for a bit less and keep the same profit margin. If they could get the street price at or under $400 it would dominate anything else I have seen in that price bracket. It might even be a contender against $500 guns. Unfortunately, I doubt that will ever be a move Stoeger makes.
Next on the list, run this gun in a few classes and see if it breaks. I have high hopes, but you never know what a few thousand rounds of 12 gauge will do.