Part 1 of a series of 3 articles on how to get the most from your gun
By Derek Partridge
First published in the September 1995 issue of (England's) Clay Shooting Magazine.
P
eter Bowden often tells the story of how, in 1976, he came to me (as the Team Manager) to shoot in the Grand Prix des Nations at Montecantini in Italy. In the armoury, he was surprised to notice that the Italian Team's guns all looked different, whereas the British Teams's all looked like peas in a pod. Peter had stumbled on and opened the Pandora's box of gun fitting and customizing. Most British competition then came from the grand old man of national and international shooting, Joe Wheater. Joe's build happened to be that of the Average Man, for whom gun manufacturers (primarily Browning at the time) made standard dimension guns. Joe would win shoot after shoot and, because many shooters think that guns win shoots, not shooters. . . the gun would be bought and Joe would then take the next identical gun from the rack, win the next shoot, sell the "winning" gun and so on.The objective of gun fitting is for the gun to fit each differently shaped individual, so that, when he or she shoulders the gun and looks at the target, the gun is also 'looking' or pointing at, and therefore, shooting at the same place (just like pointing a finger). Shooters should NEVER try to fit themselves to guns. Sadly, far too many shooters do this, often talked into buying guns which, they are told (or convince themselves), are just fine for them. The result of this can be seen everywhere, with, for example, shooters straining to hold guns too long, bumping noses on those too short, peering up through their eyelashes, with necks strained forward, or with heads canted downwards and/or to one side, trying to align the eye along the rib. But, gun fit, stance and technique all require three basic criteria: comfort, naturalness and simplicity.
How not to fit a stock
The main element of gun fit is the stock. First let's eliminate the useless method of ascertaining correct length, ie: placing the butt in the crook of the arm and seeing if the finger reaches the trigger. Take two people whose forearms and fingers are approximately the same length: 'measuring' by this method, both will reach the trigger and there-fore should be able to use the same stock length. However, if one has a 36" chest and the other a 48" chest, there is no way they could correctly shoulder the same length stock.
Head and eyes
Without
pulling back the shoulder, thus twisting the body sideways and,
without crawling the head along the stock, the head and eyes should
remain in an upright position. As a rough guide, the space between the
nose and the back of the thumb for trap disciplines should be no more
than two fingers, not less than one; and for sporting and game, between
four and two fingers. Head and eyes upright ... how many shooters have
their faces canted down-wards, their necks strained forward, under
tension, peering up through their eyelashes, trying to see the target?
We do not look at each other with our heads and eyes in such an
awkward, strained position and, when a target comes out at high
speed, the eyes naturally want to be able to look at it in a NORMAL
manner. So, what do the eyes do? They come up to look ... and that is
called head lift, more accurately 'eye-lift'. Pure head lift can be
caused by the strain on the neck muscles of a crawled head, as the
muscles want to return to their NATURAL, COMFORTABLE position. If you
lift your head just 1/4", that equates with some 9" of error at 35-40
yards, more than enough to take the target out of the centre of your
pattern. Eyes and rib
I believe, as do my partners, gunsmith/shooter Tim Greenwood and Peter Boden, that to adequately see a target, most or all of your iris (the coloured part of the eye), should be visible above the rib, when viewed from the front, or in a mirror. (Depending on your discipline being trap or sporting.) Conversely, another old shooting colleague, Peter Croft, still advocates the 1960's style of the Italians and Russians, of having the pupil barely above the rib. However, I quote four-time World Champion, Michel Carrega: 'The target must be seen at all times".
Combs can be temporarily raised by taping leather or moleskin (cardboard is not great!) to the comb; but remember not to go too far out at the side, as this will alter your lateral alignment on the rib. For a more permanent alteration, a wood insert can be cut in and blended to the existing wood. You could fit an adjustable comb - which also allows sideways adjustment for correct cast-off or on (for correct lateral alignment of the eye to the rib). The problem with an adjustable comb is that you could go on making small changes indefinitely; so, once you've got the comb right, it's best to take the measurements and have a solid stock made or, at least, lock the allen screws with glue and throw away the key! If you need to shave down your comb (you could ask John Grice's help ... inside joke!) before having it re-finished, cover it with strong, flexible, 2" (50mm) Sellotape All Weather, clear polythene tape to protect your cheek from the rough wood surface and, to protect the unfinished stock from rain.
Another factor determining the height of the eye above the comb is the distance between the eye and the cheekbone, which differs greatly, eg: if you looked at me (picture, right), you would see the rib nearly 1/8" below the bottom of my iris, but when John Grice mounts my gun, you would just see his pupil!
Correct cast-off
Correct cast-off can, I believe, be better achieved by having a straight stock (which produces less felt recoil than a cast, or bent stock) and then shaving down the side of the stock, until the shooter's eye is correctly aligned. A compromise between this and cast, is an off-set comb, which is like a lateral version of a Monte Carlo comb, ensuring that wherever the head is placed, the degree of cast (or the MC's vertical drop) will always be the same versus a gradually sloped or a cast comb.
Neck and Shoulder
To prevent the head straining down onto the comb (especially if you have a giraffe-like neck, as I do) you may need a stock with my double Monte Carlo comb or you can fit adjustable butt plates to achieve the same objective: which is having the entire surface of the butt touching the shoulder, while the comb comes into your face with the minimum downward movement of the head. You can also reduce the problem of the long neck by raising your shoulder, as you mount the gun, thus bringing the stock and comb up to the face, instead of bending the head down to the stock. The only remaining alternative of surgical neck reduction does not seem to be practicable and I have politely declined Tim's kind offer to sort this with a hacksaw!
The importance of correct fit:
On this ill fitting gun, I either have to strain forward to achieve correct
alignment (right), or mount the gun above my shoulder (below).
With my double Monte Carlo (right) I have the butt correctly positioned and a natural upright stance.
Pitch
Pitch (also known as down-pitch or stand) is a frequently misunderstood measurement, which can affect fit, comfort and the point of impact. A simple, but fairly effective check is to shoulder your gun and have a friend sharply strike the end of the barrels with the palm of his hand, to simulate recoil. You must then determine whether you feel the "recoil" more at the heel or toe, or, as it should be: evenly along the entire surface of the pad.
Correcting pitch is fairly simple, by either adding or cutting out a thin, wedge-shaped slice from the end of the stock, where it joins the pad. But, have a qualified gunsmith do it, as knowing the right amount is harder than doing it yourself.
Woodgrain
The direction of the grain in the stock is another consideration for a competitor, as recoil follows the direction of the grain. A beautifully figured, "swirly" grain can transmit sufficient recoil into your cheek, that the resultant discomfort may cause you to lift your head. The best grain direction is straight back (also to prevent cracked stock grips) and then down at the back.
The Author: Derek Partridge has been a keen clay shooter for over 40 years and was runner-up to the legendary Joe Wheater in the British Open Sporting Championship as long ago as 1956! He has been many times a GB team member in his favourite International trap disciplines, was the founding Chairman of the British International Board and has been an Honorary Life Vice President of the CPSA since 1976.
Coming in Parts 2 and 3:
Grips, weight and balance, recoil pads, triggers, chokes and all the little details which make a gun just right for you.
Link to part II
First published in the September 1995 issue of (England's) Clay Shooting Magazine
Adapted for the web.