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Old May 17, 2000, 08:01 AM   #1
Dave McC
Staff In Memoriam
 
Join Date: October 13, 1999
Location: Columbia, Md, USA
Posts: 8,811
This comes up on occasion, and a recent debate off BB kinda set me going here.

People come in different shapes and sizes. Shotgun stocks are all pretty much the same, built for the mythical average man.

If you're 5'9",160 lbs and take a 33" shirt sleeve, the stock's built for you. But many of us don't fit that description,including me.

If you are that size, but do lots of waterfowl hunting or use a shotgun under cold conditions, a slightly shorter stock works better. Or, you're a Texas dove hunter who shoots in a T shirt, longer might be better.

The big reason many folks do badly with a shotgun is lack of practice, followed by poor fit. If you're burning up ammo,have decent form, but still have trouble hitting the right Zip Code,it's fit thats plaguing you.

I'm a behemoth, 36" sleeve,6'2",and barrel chested. I CAN work with a standard stock, but one 1/4 to 3/8 longer than standard works better. On my bird 870, the stock's been shimmed a little for length, and a little for drop.I do good work with it, even doves fall more often than with a factory stock.

Many of the great wing shots have been well to do Brits that have their stocks custom made to their specs, and more Americans would do better to copy that.

Try this...

Use a pattern board with an aiming point set up at 20 yards or so. Load the lightest load you have on hand,mount the weapon and shoot w/o aiming. If your stock fits, the pattern will center.If it's low, the stock may be too short, and if high, the opposite applies.L&R have different problems and I'm not getting into cast on/off here.

Now, try taping layered cardboard to the pad. Start off with maybeso 1/4" thickness and see what happens.If centering improves, you need a longer stock.

And for the HD/WIHTF folks,what revelance has this? Simple, a stock that fits is faster and surer.That can make quite a difference in an AS scenario.

Does all this mean standard stocks can't be used well? Obviously not. My HD and deer shotguns are standard, but they're aimed more than pointed, and I'm used to them.

For smaller shooters, just lopping off a few inches is not the answer. And that old thing about putting the butt in your elbow and if the trigger falls on the first knuckle of your index finger, it fits, is a myth. Shorter shooters need proper stocks at least as much as we do, it's harder to shoot well with an overly long stock than a short one.

When shortening a stock, go easy, about 1/4-1/2" at a time and shoot it between. Also, shorter stocks have smaller pads, intensifying recoil effect. And, keep the butt angle the same. Too much pitch will dig the toe of the stock into body parts like a wood chisel,and every one has a different amount of pitch that works for them. A little sanding of the toe,if this is the problem, aids comfort no end.

Questions, comments, donations(G)?
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Old May 17, 2000, 08:07 AM   #2
jthuang
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Join Date: January 21, 2000
Posts: 823
I think you hit it right on the head. Would anyone here buy shoes that didn't fit properly? Then why buy a gun that doesn't fit you properly?

Justin


------------------
Justin T. Huang, Esq.
late of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
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Old May 17, 2000, 11:14 AM   #3
JNewell
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Join Date: March 12, 2000
Posts: 1,092
Dave, excellent points all. I'm 6-5, 36" sleeve, but I think that for HD-type use the factory stocks on most long arms are too long. I've gone to A1 buttstocks on my ARs, and I'm either going to replace the factory stock with a "youth" model or cut the factory stock (ouch, such nice walnut! <g> ). I'm also going to replace the recoil pad with one that doesn't have the pronounced, pointy toe. The long stock and pointy toe really affect how fast I can mount the 870.
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Old May 18, 2000, 05:58 AM   #4
Dave McC
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Join Date: October 13, 1999
Location: Columbia, Md, USA
Posts: 8,811
Thanks, guys. It amazes me that with all the folks willing to modify their shotguns and spend mucho dinero to do so, there's few that will take the time and trouble to make a reasonable fit.

Just for grins,I shot a course with the 20 ga Youth Model I got for the kids, R/S bbl, IC choke,#3 buck,Brenneke slugs. Worked fine, even with the 12 1/2" stock length.
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