Need help. My brother's gun is smacking our face.

JAFO001 · March 13, 2001, 09:34 AM

Baikal O/U shotgun. Yes, Cheap Russian gun. Every time you shoot it, it smacks your face. Right had, left hand, same thing. Other than throwing it in the lake, what can we do to make it stop. I figure that the geometry is the reason. Would shortening the stock cure the problem? Change the angle of the butt pad? Anyone out there that can help? Thanks.

Double Naught Spy · March 13, 2001, 10:10 AM

MOVE FACE! Sorry, every time someone posts something like this or about brass hitting them in the face, that is my first thought.

However, moving the face may not be completely wrong. How is the gun hitting you in the face? Is it the gun or your trigger hand around the stock that is smacking you? Do you rest your cheek on the stock?

One way to not get smacked is to rest your cheek on the stock. Then, your head rides the recoil as the gun pushes you as opposed to getting slapped.

JAFO001 · March 13, 2001, 10:25 AM

Well, I can move my face to what does not feel like a natural position and it does not smack. But I have shot a many a shotgun and never had to hold my head in an awkward position when shooting. I feel that the gun's geometry is wrong and I want to correct it.

Dave R · March 13, 2001, 11:23 AM

Only thing I can think of is to put a new stock on it. Duplicate of some stock you already know & love. Not a cheap solution, unless you know a smith or shop that has lots of old parts lying around.

As I visualize this, your current stock may be too short. How does it point? If it points high, you want to lengthen the stock anyway. If it points low, lengthening the stock will make it worse.

JAFO001 · March 13, 2001, 11:45 AM

Dave R, Please explain what you mean by it pointing high. You mean when I throw the gun up, it wants to ride up higher than I want? Or how it rests on my shoulder?? Just seems to me that I could change the existing stock some way and stop it from kicking up. Thanks.

Dave McC · March 13, 2001, 12:26 PM

Assuming you know what you're doing....

Look at the stock next to a shotgun you've shot that doesn't wack you. Is it longer, shorter, have more/less drop? My gut reaction is it's got more drop to it and is shorter than you're used to.

I suggest patterning it, move the stock to correct any shooting off it's doing, and go from there.

Also, leave the turkey loads alone for now and try the lightest loads you have.

HTH...

JAFO001 · March 13, 2001, 03:18 PM

I have shot lots of guns, but do not know how to accurize a shotgun. I do pretty good with my pistols. What changes do you make to the stock to correct any shooting off the gun is doing? Change the angle that it meets the receiver?

Harley Nolden · March 13, 2001, 04:11 PM

JA:
I have the same gun, same situation. I corrected it by shorting the stock 1/2". That was to my specs.

Lay the gun in the crook of your arm, with your finger on the trigger. If the finger meets exactly with the trigger, as you would shoot, it the length of pull is correct.

If the finger comes short of the trigger that is when it is too long.

If the finger is well forward ot the trigger the stock is too short.

In either case, measure the distance to the trigger from your triger placement position, and this will tell you how much to add or subtract.

HJN

JAFO001 · March 13, 2001, 05:40 PM

Hey, this sounds promising. Thanks for the information.

blooch · March 14, 2001, 12:13 AM

here's an old skeet shooters two bits

i am what most people call huge, so the average gun doesn't fit me and i have alter a lot of stocks, the process is the same for nearly everyone.

step one: is the gun too long or short? if the thumb of your trigger hand is hitting you in the nose, the gun is too short, no matter what the distance from the crook of your elbow to the trigger. if it is more than about an inch between your thumb and nose, it's probally too long.

step two: once you have the length established, what do you see? the back of the receiver: stocks low, build it up with moleskin, trick pads, a new stock, etc. daylight between the beads, seeing a lot rib or indications of too much height....go see a good stockfitter, let him help on this one.

step three: are you a thick chested person? you might try adding washers under your top screw in your recoil pad so the heel does not dig into your chest. this also affects how the gun recoils into your face.

i have a beretta 687 eell skeet gun that i absolutely could not stand to shoot in the 12 or 20 until i added about 3/8" of downpitch by adding washers and made it quit hitting me in the face as the gun recoiled off the point of the heel of the gun. when you move the place the gun recoils closer to the center of the pad and higher on your shoulder,in other words, make the gun kick straighter back and less up into your face, the gun will be much more pleasant to shoot.

cast-off can also help keep a gun from digging into your chest and get your head aligned behind the barrels.

try the gun after each modification, see if your are heading the right direction. there are more things which you can do, some simple , some not, but these are good basic starting points.

sorry i got so long

March 13, 2001, 10:25 AM	#3
JAFO001 Member Join Date: December 30, 2000 Posts: 36	I've shot many a shotgun and never been smacked like this Well, I can move my face to what does not feel like a natural position and it does not smack. But I have shot a many a shotgun and never had to hold my head in an awkward position when shooting. I feel that the gun's geometry is wrong and I want to correct it.

March 13, 2001, 11:45 AM	#5
JAFO001 Member Join Date: December 30, 2000 Posts: 36	Please explain what you mean by pointing high. Dave R, Please explain what you mean by it pointing high. You mean when I throw the gun up, it wants to ride up higher than I want? Or how it rests on my shoulder?? Just seems to me that I could change the existing stock some way and stop it from kicking up. Thanks.

March 13, 2001, 03:18 PM	#7
JAFO001 Member Join Date: December 30, 2000 Posts: 36	No, don't know what I am doing. But willing to learn. I have shot lots of guns, but do not know how to accurize a shotgun. I do pretty good with my pistols. What changes do you make to the stock to correct any shooting off the gun is doing? Change the angle that it meets the receiver?

March 13, 2001, 05:40 PM	#9
JAFO001 Member Join Date: December 30, 2000 Posts: 36	THANKS! Hey, this sounds promising. Thanks for the information.

March 13, 2001, 09:34 AM	#1
JAFO001 Member Join Date: December 30, 2000 Posts: 36	Baikal O/U shotgun. Yes, Cheap Russian gun. Every time you shoot it, it smacks your face. Right had, left hand, same thing. Other than throwing it in the lake, what can we do to make it stop. I figure that the geometry is the reason. Would shortening the stock cure the problem? Change the angle of the butt pad? Anyone out there that can help? Thanks.

March 13, 2001, 10:10 AM	#2
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,717	MOVE FACE! Sorry, every time someone posts something like this or about brass hitting them in the face, that is my first thought. However, moving the face may not be completely wrong. How is the gun hitting you in the face? Is it the gun or your trigger hand around the stock that is smacking you? Do you rest your cheek on the stock? One way to not get smacked is to rest your cheek on the stock. Then, your head rides the recoil as the gun pushes you as opposed to getting slapped.

March 13, 2001, 11:23 AM	#4
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 6,073	Only thing I can think of is to put a new stock on it. Duplicate of some stock you already know & love. Not a cheap solution, unless you know a smith or shop that has lots of old parts lying around. As I visualize this, your current stock may be too short. How does it point? If it points high, you want to lengthen the stock anyway. If it points low, lengthening the stock will make it worse.

March 13, 2001, 12:26 PM	#6
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Assuming you know what you're doing.... Look at the stock next to a shotgun you've shot that doesn't wack you. Is it longer, shorter, have more/less drop? My gut reaction is it's got more drop to it and is shorter than you're used to. I suggest patterning it, move the stock to correct any shooting off it's doing, and go from there. Also, leave the turkey loads alone for now and try the lightest loads you have. HTH...

March 13, 2001, 04:11 PM	#8
Harley Nolden Staff In Memoriam Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Brunswick,GA USA Posts: 1,884	JA: I have the same gun, same situation. I corrected it by shorting the stock 1/2". That was to my specs. Lay the gun in the crook of your arm, with your finger on the trigger. If the finger meets exactly with the trigger, as you would shoot, it the length of pull is correct. If the finger comes short of the trigger that is when it is too long. If the finger is well forward ot the trigger the stock is too short. In either case, measure the distance to the trigger from your triger placement position, and this will tell you how much to add or subtract. HJN

March 14, 2001, 12:13 AM	#10
blooch Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 1999 Location: texas Posts: 152	here's an old skeet shooters two bits i am what most people call huge, so the average gun doesn't fit me and i have alter a lot of stocks, the process is the same for nearly everyone. step one: is the gun too long or short? if the thumb of your trigger hand is hitting you in the nose, the gun is too short, no matter what the distance from the crook of your elbow to the trigger. if it is more than about an inch between your thumb and nose, it's probally too long. step two: once you have the length established, what do you see? the back of the receiver: stocks low, build it up with moleskin, trick pads, a new stock, etc. daylight between the beads, seeing a lot rib or indications of too much height....go see a good stockfitter, let him help on this one. step three: are you a thick chested person? you might try adding washers under your top screw in your recoil pad so the heel does not dig into your chest. this also affects how the gun recoils into your face. i have a beretta 687 eell skeet gun that i absolutely could not stand to shoot in the 12 or 20 until i added about 3/8" of downpitch by adding washers and made it quit hitting me in the face as the gun recoiled off the point of the heel of the gun. when you move the place the gun recoils closer to the center of the pad and higher on your shoulder,in other words, make the gun kick straighter back and less up into your face, the gun will be much more pleasant to shoot. cast-off can also help keep a gun from digging into your chest and get your head aligned behind the barrels. try the gun after each modification, see if your are heading the right direction. there are more things which you can do, some simple , some not, but these are good basic starting points. sorry i got so long