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Dave McC · November 15, 2008, 04:22 PM

Yr Humble Scrivener's PMs and E mail have been loaded lately with queries about fit. Here's a few things to help get folks on the right page......

The old canard about sticking the butt inside the elbow and having the trigger at the first knuckle of the index finger is at best a very rough guide.

Better to mount a shotgun Known to be empty and see if there's room between your thumb and nose. If you can get two fingers in there, the Length Of Pull is about right for most stuff.

Most of us can work with a LOP that's a bit on the short side. Drop, however, is more sensitive to variation. If you can see all the rib when mounting the gun, it will probably shoot a bit high for you.

Fit varies not only from one person to another but by mission. Trap shooters who shoot pre mounted oft opt for a long stock with little drop.They prefer a high POI for Trap targets shot rising. Folks who shoot Sporting Clays from Low Gun often like a long stock, but prefer more drop to keep POA and POI closer.

For instance, my last pure D Trap Gun was an 870TB. It had a Monte Carlo comb to keep my cheekbone up a little and a 15" LOP with an adjustable butt to add some drop but keep the POI high.A shim moved the butt to the right (Known as cast off) to put my eye in the correct place.

It crushed clays for me and now does so for a friend.

My current Clay slayer is a Beretta O/U. An aftermarket pad lengthens the pull to 15", but has less drop for a 60/40 POI. A bit of built in castoff does the same as that shim did, placing the eye correctly.

Number Six is my wingshooting go to. 15" LOP, more drop to keep the POI about 55/45. This works better on flat targets,ground targets, and works on rising targets if I cover it with the barrel.

Frankenstein, my overly publicized parts 870, has a standard length stock, about 14 1/4" with the pad. It's a waterfowler these days, and the shorter length works better when wearing a goose parka and/or sitting up in a coffin blind.

Same for my "Serious" shotguns, which double as venison acquisition tools. Those stocks work for me when they're shot like rifles, aimed. They also fit well over body armor.

And,yes, I'm a behemoth, but this applies to everyone.

Might as well say this here. The plethora of great pads on the market means all of us can shoot more in comfort.

Here's a quick check for fit.

Make sure your shotgun is unloaded, then check it again.

Focus on the corner of the room, where two walls and the ceiling meet.

Close your eyes and mount the shotgun.

Open your eyes. If your shotgun fits, it should be pointed right at that corner.

Repeat a couple times to make sure.

Any questions?....

November 15, 2008, 04:22 PM	#1
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Some Notes on Fit...... Yr Humble Scrivener's PMs and E mail have been loaded lately with queries about fit. Here's a few things to help get folks on the right page...... The old canard about sticking the butt inside the elbow and having the trigger at the first knuckle of the index finger is at best a very rough guide. Better to mount a shotgun Known to be empty and see if there's room between your thumb and nose. If you can get two fingers in there, the Length Of Pull is about right for most stuff. Most of us can work with a LOP that's a bit on the short side. Drop, however, is more sensitive to variation. If you can see all the rib when mounting the gun, it will probably shoot a bit high for you. Fit varies not only from one person to another but by mission. Trap shooters who shoot pre mounted oft opt for a long stock with little drop.They prefer a high POI for Trap targets shot rising. Folks who shoot Sporting Clays from Low Gun often like a long stock, but prefer more drop to keep POA and POI closer. For instance, my last pure D Trap Gun was an 870TB. It had a Monte Carlo comb to keep my cheekbone up a little and a 15" LOP with an adjustable butt to add some drop but keep the POI high.A shim moved the butt to the right (Known as cast off) to put my eye in the correct place. It crushed clays for me and now does so for a friend. My current Clay slayer is a Beretta O/U. An aftermarket pad lengthens the pull to 15", but has less drop for a 60/40 POI. A bit of built in castoff does the same as that shim did, placing the eye correctly. Number Six is my wingshooting go to. 15" LOP, more drop to keep the POI about 55/45. This works better on flat targets,ground targets, and works on rising targets if I cover it with the barrel. Frankenstein, my overly publicized parts 870, has a standard length stock, about 14 1/4" with the pad. It's a waterfowler these days, and the shorter length works better when wearing a goose parka and/or sitting up in a coffin blind. Same for my "Serious" shotguns, which double as venison acquisition tools. Those stocks work for me when they're shot like rifles, aimed. They also fit well over body armor. And,yes, I'm a behemoth, but this applies to everyone. Might as well say this here. The plethora of great pads on the market means all of us can shoot more in comfort. Here's a quick check for fit. Make sure your shotgun is unloaded, then check it again. Focus on the corner of the room, where two walls and the ceiling meet. Close your eyes and mount the shotgun. Open your eyes. If your shotgun fits, it should be pointed right at that corner. Repeat a couple times to make sure. Any questions?....