Dave McCracken
Moderator In Memoriam
I got really trounced last night. It was my introduction to wobble trap, and I was handily outshot by a Net friend with a shotgun I've been less than kind to in print, the S&W 3000. My guess,he's still grinning like a possum eating fresh roadkill.
Even so, said friend mentioned a sore jaw and shoulder last night, and swore he'd forsake 1 1/8 oz loads for wobble in the future, choosing something like the ultralight 7/8 oz jobs I've been experimenting with.
The bigger cause of his affliction though, is his shotgun doesn't fit him well.
Good fit enables us to direct that cloud of shot to the target in comfort. Combined with good form, it helps us hit and increases our ability to soak up recoil comfortably.
Here's what I suggest to improve your fit. Naturally, this being shotguns, there's lots of wiggle room and generalities with exceptions. And the best fit can change with the mission. For instance, one used in warm weather with light clothing may be a bit longer in Length Of Pull (LOP) than a waterfowler used with 5 layers of polypro, fleece, wool and Goretex. Another example, short range brush hunters after quail oft opt for stocks with a bit more drop, they seem to work better in those close range, short time frame, shot opps.
Older shotguns tend to more drop, either the old style of heads up shooting required them, or the crooked stock mandated the heads up style.
LOP is where everyone starts, and it's one of the least critical factors to a good fit. We all adjust without thinking to some degree by changing the hold with the forward hand, moving it back for a longer stock and forward for a shorter one.
And, all else equal, a stock that's a bit short is easier to deal with than one too long. If in doubt, err on the short side.
NOTE: The old thing about measuring by placing the butt in the crook of the elbow is, at best,only a rough guide. Better, mount the shotgun, and check the distance between your nose and thumb. If a finger or two fits in, it's close enough. Longer or shorter, adjust in increments of 1/8 to 1/4 at a time. Note than stock length affects DROP, longer stocks have more, all else equal.
The other dimensions can be best dealt with on a patterning board. Using LIGHT loads,a full choke if possible, and good form, shoot at the center as if it's a bird flying straight away.While 40 yards is traditional,I suggest patterning at the most common distance of your shot opps. For quail, woodcock and grouse hunters, this may be more like 25 yards.
Take a couple shots, and check the Center of Impact (AKA Point Of Impact or POI) in relation to the Point Of Aim(POA).
Let's say that the pattern centers nicely horizontally, but POI is lower than POA,a common problem BTW. Here's where DROP comes in.
DROP is measured from the line of sight to the nose and heel of the comb, the top edge of the stock behind the grip. If you see just the top of the receiver or the bead, or just a little rib or barrel near the muzzle, it's probably close.Proof is in the pattern, if it's hitting low, adding some material to raise the comb will bring the POI up.
You'll see people talking about 60/40 patterns. That means 60% of the pattern hits above the POA, 40 at or below. Every 10% raise means a shift of 3 inches at 40 yards. Many shotgunners prefer a pattern just a little high, so this is a way of quantifying the shift.
Pitch is the angle between the butt and the center of the bore. A few degrees off 90 either way can influence the POI, but mainly pitch is important because it adjusts the butt to press uniformly against the body,thus spreading the kick equally. A few shims between the stock and pad can help determine if the pitch is correct, and oft a slight rounding of the pad toe can mimic good pitch on many women and barrel chested or overweight men.
Let's assume on this hypothetical shotgun that it's hitting perfectly vertically, but it's off horizontally. This brings us to cast.
CAST is the relation between the center of the bore line and where the eye is placed behind it.For good results, the eye has to be directly in line. Altering the cast can be done by shaving off material, adding some, bending the stock so its centerline lies to the right or left of the action's center line, or making the stock from scratch with its centerline,uh, not centered.
Many shotgunners fill the need by just tilting the head a few degrees on mount to place the master eye correctly.
Fit yourself by using good form, and fit your shotgun by adding or subtracting material, shimming and so on. Cardboard, masking tape and moleskin are often used for temporary adjustments, later made permanent.
When fitting one's shotgun to one's self, get the drop right, then the LOP,recheck the drop, then mess with the pitch, until the patterning board shows the pattern RIGHT where you want it. Then go shoot some clays, game birds if in season, etc, and microtune if needed to make it work on the moving targets you prefer. Write down the numbers and keep in a safe place.
HTH, sing out if this is not clear....
Even so, said friend mentioned a sore jaw and shoulder last night, and swore he'd forsake 1 1/8 oz loads for wobble in the future, choosing something like the ultralight 7/8 oz jobs I've been experimenting with.
The bigger cause of his affliction though, is his shotgun doesn't fit him well.
Good fit enables us to direct that cloud of shot to the target in comfort. Combined with good form, it helps us hit and increases our ability to soak up recoil comfortably.
Here's what I suggest to improve your fit. Naturally, this being shotguns, there's lots of wiggle room and generalities with exceptions. And the best fit can change with the mission. For instance, one used in warm weather with light clothing may be a bit longer in Length Of Pull (LOP) than a waterfowler used with 5 layers of polypro, fleece, wool and Goretex. Another example, short range brush hunters after quail oft opt for stocks with a bit more drop, they seem to work better in those close range, short time frame, shot opps.
Older shotguns tend to more drop, either the old style of heads up shooting required them, or the crooked stock mandated the heads up style.
LOP is where everyone starts, and it's one of the least critical factors to a good fit. We all adjust without thinking to some degree by changing the hold with the forward hand, moving it back for a longer stock and forward for a shorter one.
And, all else equal, a stock that's a bit short is easier to deal with than one too long. If in doubt, err on the short side.
NOTE: The old thing about measuring by placing the butt in the crook of the elbow is, at best,only a rough guide. Better, mount the shotgun, and check the distance between your nose and thumb. If a finger or two fits in, it's close enough. Longer or shorter, adjust in increments of 1/8 to 1/4 at a time. Note than stock length affects DROP, longer stocks have more, all else equal.
The other dimensions can be best dealt with on a patterning board. Using LIGHT loads,a full choke if possible, and good form, shoot at the center as if it's a bird flying straight away.While 40 yards is traditional,I suggest patterning at the most common distance of your shot opps. For quail, woodcock and grouse hunters, this may be more like 25 yards.
Take a couple shots, and check the Center of Impact (AKA Point Of Impact or POI) in relation to the Point Of Aim(POA).
Let's say that the pattern centers nicely horizontally, but POI is lower than POA,a common problem BTW. Here's where DROP comes in.
DROP is measured from the line of sight to the nose and heel of the comb, the top edge of the stock behind the grip. If you see just the top of the receiver or the bead, or just a little rib or barrel near the muzzle, it's probably close.Proof is in the pattern, if it's hitting low, adding some material to raise the comb will bring the POI up.
You'll see people talking about 60/40 patterns. That means 60% of the pattern hits above the POA, 40 at or below. Every 10% raise means a shift of 3 inches at 40 yards. Many shotgunners prefer a pattern just a little high, so this is a way of quantifying the shift.
Pitch is the angle between the butt and the center of the bore. A few degrees off 90 either way can influence the POI, but mainly pitch is important because it adjusts the butt to press uniformly against the body,thus spreading the kick equally. A few shims between the stock and pad can help determine if the pitch is correct, and oft a slight rounding of the pad toe can mimic good pitch on many women and barrel chested or overweight men.
Let's assume on this hypothetical shotgun that it's hitting perfectly vertically, but it's off horizontally. This brings us to cast.
CAST is the relation between the center of the bore line and where the eye is placed behind it.For good results, the eye has to be directly in line. Altering the cast can be done by shaving off material, adding some, bending the stock so its centerline lies to the right or left of the action's center line, or making the stock from scratch with its centerline,uh, not centered.
Many shotgunners fill the need by just tilting the head a few degrees on mount to place the master eye correctly.
Fit yourself by using good form, and fit your shotgun by adding or subtracting material, shimming and so on. Cardboard, masking tape and moleskin are often used for temporary adjustments, later made permanent.
When fitting one's shotgun to one's self, get the drop right, then the LOP,recheck the drop, then mess with the pitch, until the patterning board shows the pattern RIGHT where you want it. Then go shoot some clays, game birds if in season, etc, and microtune if needed to make it work on the moving targets you prefer. Write down the numbers and keep in a safe place.
HTH, sing out if this is not clear....
