Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
Had a request for this, and I see that some folks here might need a little guidance, so....
I bet 80% of the folks on this BB own at least one pumpgun. They're the goto for a lot of shotgun activities, from busting clays to hunting to life insurance.
And unfortunately, they sometimes do not shoot where we're looking. Correcting this can often be done in an hour or two over two days,at minimal cost and small effort. Here's how...
And we're assuming(Yeah, I know) that we know something about shotgunning and LOP is about right.
Tools and materials needed will include:
A screwdriver long enough to reach the stock throughbolt, and another for the screws on your recoil pad. Tha last will probably be a Phillips head 1 or 2.
Scissors.
A tape measure or yardstick.
Shim material. I see toothpicks and business cards endorsed for this, but I prefer stuff that's non-biodegradeable and not easily compressed. Old hulls can be scissored into pieces that will work, but I use folded Aluminum foil. This can be easily made into the right thickness, and it's darn near free.
Polyurethane finish.
Rustproofing liquids like oil and CLP.
And now the method.
First, dismount the stock and while you have it apart, seal the grain at both ends with the Urethane to stop water migration if there's raw wood showing. Next, protect the rear of the receiver metal by applying CLP, SLIP, or oil. Wipe on,wipe off. Use a bit on the throughbolt except for the threads, there a bit of wax from a candle, or the wax bowhunters use on their strings will protect from rust while not letting the thing loosen under recoil.This does nothing for POI, but you might as well protect your weapon while your in there...
Once the Urethane's dry, add a shim where it'll do the job and reassemble,then head for the range.
And how do we know where the shim should be?
It's a reverse process. If we want the shot to go high,the shim goes at the bottom of the receiver.
Measure the thickness of the shim, and write it down.I'd start with 1/16".
Of course, we've already patterned with the load of choice, and know how much off it is.
Head for the range and set up at the pattern board at 16 yards. If your shotgun has tubes or Polychoke, set it for Full or tighter. Shoot from a rest and note where the shot goes in relation to the aiming point. Repeat a couple times, using new paper each shot.
A few repetitions should give you a fairly good idea of where it's hitting for you. Now the fun part.
A 1/16" change in height(NOT the same thing as adding a 1/16" shim)should give about an inch or two change in POI. Fiddle with this until you've gotten the pattern where you want it. For GP use, I like about 60/40, but YMMV.
Now move back to whatever distance you choose and check again.Fiddle if needed.
Now shoot a few rounds offhand to see if fit has been compromised. A small shim at the heel of the butt may be need to return the pitch to normal, or the toe of the pad may need sanding down to keep it from digging into your chest.
Measure all the dimensions and write them down.
Go shoot a round of clays and see if things have improved, and you're comfortable. If so, you're done and your shooting has probably improved.
HTH, sing out if something's unclear....
I bet 80% of the folks on this BB own at least one pumpgun. They're the goto for a lot of shotgun activities, from busting clays to hunting to life insurance.
And unfortunately, they sometimes do not shoot where we're looking. Correcting this can often be done in an hour or two over two days,at minimal cost and small effort. Here's how...
And we're assuming(Yeah, I know) that we know something about shotgunning and LOP is about right.
Tools and materials needed will include:
A screwdriver long enough to reach the stock throughbolt, and another for the screws on your recoil pad. Tha last will probably be a Phillips head 1 or 2.
Scissors.
A tape measure or yardstick.
Shim material. I see toothpicks and business cards endorsed for this, but I prefer stuff that's non-biodegradeable and not easily compressed. Old hulls can be scissored into pieces that will work, but I use folded Aluminum foil. This can be easily made into the right thickness, and it's darn near free.
Polyurethane finish.
Rustproofing liquids like oil and CLP.
And now the method.
First, dismount the stock and while you have it apart, seal the grain at both ends with the Urethane to stop water migration if there's raw wood showing. Next, protect the rear of the receiver metal by applying CLP, SLIP, or oil. Wipe on,wipe off. Use a bit on the throughbolt except for the threads, there a bit of wax from a candle, or the wax bowhunters use on their strings will protect from rust while not letting the thing loosen under recoil.This does nothing for POI, but you might as well protect your weapon while your in there...
Once the Urethane's dry, add a shim where it'll do the job and reassemble,then head for the range.
And how do we know where the shim should be?
It's a reverse process. If we want the shot to go high,the shim goes at the bottom of the receiver.
Measure the thickness of the shim, and write it down.I'd start with 1/16".
Of course, we've already patterned with the load of choice, and know how much off it is.
Head for the range and set up at the pattern board at 16 yards. If your shotgun has tubes or Polychoke, set it for Full or tighter. Shoot from a rest and note where the shot goes in relation to the aiming point. Repeat a couple times, using new paper each shot.
A few repetitions should give you a fairly good idea of where it's hitting for you. Now the fun part.
A 1/16" change in height(NOT the same thing as adding a 1/16" shim)should give about an inch or two change in POI. Fiddle with this until you've gotten the pattern where you want it. For GP use, I like about 60/40, but YMMV.
Now move back to whatever distance you choose and check again.Fiddle if needed.
Now shoot a few rounds offhand to see if fit has been compromised. A small shim at the heel of the butt may be need to return the pitch to normal, or the toe of the pad may need sanding down to keep it from digging into your chest.
Measure all the dimensions and write them down.
Go shoot a round of clays and see if things have improved, and you're comfortable. If so, you're done and your shooting has probably improved.
HTH, sing out if something's unclear....
). I'll definately give it a try! Thanks.