The Basics of Gun Fit  by Pat Lieske "The whole of this method is utilizing the natural ability to point that we have been born with." Pat Lieske, left, teaches the basic stance needed to hit moving targets. Last month I touched briefly on the concept of gun fit. As I noted then, gun fit in its most basic sense is altering a gun so that it is not only comfortable to shoot, it shoots where you look. The components of gun fit include stock height, stock length, cast and pitch. A shooter's physique and shooting style will determine these measurements. The height of the stock is the measurement taken by comparing the amount of drop from the rib or barrel of the shotgun to the top of the stock. This measurement is taken at the comb (front), middle (face) and back (heel) of the stock. This measurement affects how high or low the eye is in relationship to the gun barrel and thus how high or low the shot pattern is placed out at the target. My preference is for the pupil of the eye to be just over the rib so that the gun shoots relatively flat, although different types of hunting and target shooting may require a fit that is somewhat different. Stock length is a measurement that is often misunderstood. The length of a stock is measured from the middle of the trigger straight back to the middle of the butt, the top of the heel and also the end of the toe. A commonly used method of determining "proper" length is to place the gun butt in the crook of the elbow while the trigger finger is brought to the trigger. If the pad of the trigger finger reaches the trigger, the gun is said to fit. Unfortunately, this does not take into consideration the thickness of the chest, or that some people have large forearms and small upper arms. The cartoon character Popeye is an exaggerated example. A gun stock of proper length will be effortless to mount to your face and will find the shoulder almost by itself. As a shotgun is mounted to your cheek, your shoulder comes forward to meet the stock. If the stock is too short, they will not meet and your head will drop to meet the stock. As you know from last month's column, it is very important that the head stay still during the shot. The measurement of length of pull. If the stock is too long, it will not make it to the cheek before hitting your shoulder or body. A gun that is the correct length will hit the cheek and the shoulder at approximately the same time. Little or no head movement will occur. The cast of a gun is described as the side-to-side bend in the stock in relationship to the barrel of the gun. A right-handed shooter may require cast off or bend to the right. A left-handed shooter may require cast on or bend to the left. Cast is necessary when the shooter is unable to position his or her eye in the middle of the rib without leaning the head over the top of the stock. Remember the head should at all times be upright and still. The measurement of cast is taken at both the heel and the toe of the stock. The measurement at the heel is the one that correctly positions the eye. The measurement at the toe is one to increase the comfort in the shoulder pocket. The measurment of pitch. Pitch, or stand, is the final element of gun fit. Pitch in its most simple terms is the angle at which the butt of the stock is cut. This measurement is taken various ways. Pitch can be measured by standing the gun on its butt next to a wall and measuring the distance that the barrels are from the wall. Pitch can be measured more precisely in degrees from the barrel. Pitch is usually downwards. Why is pitch important? The proper pitch can make a gun much more comfortable to shoot. By altering the pitch we are trying to make full contact with the whole butt of the gun in the shoulder pocket, thus distributing the recoil over a larger area and decreasing perceived recoil. Pitch can also influence shot placement to a small degree. All guns are not created equal. The fit that is correct for one gun may not be for another. Stock thickness and comb shape are different for almost every gun and these changes will alter the gun fit. If you have good basic shooting form and are not hitting targets or birds on a regular basis, it is time to have your gun fit checked. Copyright © 1999 Pat Lieske. All rights reserved.

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