In my last article, I explained that most hunters adhere to the common idea that one size gun fits all yet improper gun-fit is undeniably the most important factor resulting in missed shots. In more poetic form, gun-fit is the principle characteristic that affects the way a shotgun ���feels��� when the trigger is pulled and a bird crumbles. A properly fitted gun should be an extension of the shooter that, as with the lead hand, naturally points and puts pellets where the shooter looks.
From the factory, the action, locks and barrels make a gun go bang but in the field it���s the stock maker who ultimately allows the shooter to hit a flying target. For those of us who cannot afford a custom tailored stock, the good news is that the average individual can make simple modifications to a gun that produce extraordinary results.
In this article, I will review the different aspects of proper gun-fit and explain how you can make these changes to your own gun employing a little confidence and a few basic tools.
The most common myth about gun-fit relates to the way in which the gun mounts to the shoulder. It is true that a poorly fitted gun will produce excessive recoil and perhaps even bruising. However, most shooters don���t realize that the critical point of contact between gun and shooter is actually where cheek meets wood. This is because the manner in which your cheek rests on the comb determines how your eye (or rear sight) lines up with the front sight, creating the sight picture.
A good fitting starts by determining the correct ���length of pull��� (the distance between the trigger finger and the butt of the gun). The best method to determine the proper length of pull is to mount the gun and place your cheek on the comb and ensure that you have at least 1 �? to 2 �? inches between the thumb of your trigger hand and the front of your nose.
Many shooters can handle a slightly longer gun better than a gun that is too short. Nevertheless, a gun that fits perfectly on the skeet range in summer may be too long when wearing a waterfowl parka in the winter.
The next consideration is pitch, the angle from the end of the comb to the toe of butt. Proper pitch distributes recoil evenly across the butt of the gun and, thus, the shooter���s shoulder. Most shooters will feel the impact of shooting a gun with either too much or too little pitch after as little as a few boxes of shells. Too much pitch and the toe of the gun will dig into the shooter���s chest. Too little pitch and all the recoil will be felt in the upper shoulder.
Modifying the length of pull and the pitch are two of the easiest alterations that can be made to a shotgun.
To shorten the length of pull and adjust the pitch simply cut off the end of the stock to the desired length and angle.
To cut a stock, wrap the butt of the gun in masking tape to prevent splintering. Then use a fine-toothed blade on a table-saw or a radial-arm saw. Some gunsmiths use a band saw but I find the blade too thin to produce a clean cut.
Cut the stock 1/16th inch longer than desired then take your time and use a power sander to remove the remaining wood and clean up any defects. Once you have cut your stock, seal the end of the exposed wood and attach a new pad.
Remember to include the length of the pad in your calculations!
There are several ways to increase the length of pull and change the pitch. The simplest is to purchase a rubber or leather slip-on pad. A variety of thickness options are available. If even more length or change in pitch is needed, commercially available plastic spacers, or other materials, can be added to the inside of the slip-on pad until the appropriate alterations are obtained.
Another option is to have a competent gunsmith add a wood extension to the stock.
To fit a new pad, screw it in place and put three protective layers of masking tape around the end of the stock where the two meet. Using a sander, slowly grind down the pad, being careful not to make contact with the tape. A few nicks might not hurt anything but don���t sand through the tape or you will scratch the stock.
Once the pad is flush with the tape, remove one layer and sand again. Repeat this process until only one layer of tape remains. Then sand the pad by hand with fine grit sandpaper to clean up any scratches in the plastic.
The next aspect to fitting a gun is to determine the proper drop at comb. Keep in mind that the cheek is placed on this part of the stock and as a result, the height of the comb determines how the shooter���s eye will align with the barrels.
To do this correctly you must determine a proper sight picture. Some use the time-honored tradition of closing both eyes and mounting the gun quickly then opening their eyes to see if they are looking down the rib. Using this method, however, many shooters might not be able to see a slight cant in their gun or whether their head is tossed awkwardly to one side.
A device that is helpful in this situation is a florescent clip-on or magnetic sight. When placed on the rib, a fiber optic rod channels light down a narrow tube and allows the shooter to see the illuminated dot only when the gun is properly shouldered. If the shooter has to lift his head to see the dot then the gun has too much drop. If the shooter has to forcefully press his face down on the stock to see the dot then the gun has too little drop.
Professional shooters often compensate for drop by using an adjustable comb. You must modify the stock on guns without this device. To add drop, simply file, grind, or sand wood from the top of the comb until the correct sight picture is seen. To raise the comb, many shooters will attach either a leather or neoprene pad of the desired thickness to the top of the comb. It���s as simple as that.
The last adjustments are to the cast and cant of a gun. While most mass-produced guns are cast neutral, some custom made guns have a slight bend in the stock that pushes the comb into the shooter���s cheek. ���Cast-on��� is for right-handed shooters and ���cast-off��� is for left-handed shooters.
While there are many ways to achieve cast, the best method is to have a stock made with the desired cast. The other reliable method is to ���bend��� the stock using heat and oil. This process is better left to professional gunsmiths and is generally not that expensive. However, a brave handyman can bend a stock with some basic tools.
To bend a stock, remove the fore end and place the action of the gun in a padded vise. Place two flood lamps opposite one another around the grip of the gun and bathe the stock in warm pre-heated linseed oil. When the wrist of the gun is very hot (take care not to burn the wood with either the heat from the lamps or the oil), slowly bend the butt of the gun in the desired direction using clamps or straps. The stock will draw back some, so add a little extra bend to achieve the desire effect. Then let the gun cool.
A note of caution: although walnut is a tough and resistant wood, the wood grain of some gunstocks may contain hidden flaws that may result in cracking or breaking a stock. Bending may also cause minor separation in the wood-to-metal fit at the head of the stock. So be careful!
Lastly, a word about the cant found in the butt of some guns. Custom guns have a slight twist in the stock to accommodate the shape of the shooter���s chest. This keeps the gun vertical. Several aftermarket companies offer replaceable pads that swivel either left or right to fit the shooter���s body and perform the same function. These ���twisting��� pads are easily readjusted and can be found in many gun stores.
To many hunters, a gun is as personal as a dog and as individualized as a signature. Like training a good dog, figuring out how to tailor your gun requires knowledge and patience mixed with trial and error. Like the lines that make up your signature, the dimensions of a properly fitted gun will also change over time.
The good news is finding a gun that ���fits��� doesn���t have to mean buying a new one. The stock of a shotgun can be tailored in all sorts of ways to meet the needs of the shooter. By learning about the different components that make a gun fit, the average shooter can do many of these adjustments with a little confidence, some basic tools and without breaking the bank.
Best of all, a properly fitted gun will make a significant difference in your shooting ��� and that means more birds in your bag.