Length of Pull and Shotgun Fit

[Missy Skeeter]

At 6' 4" the typical stock shotgun length of pull of 14.25-14.5 inches is too short for me.
I recently acquired a CZ 20 gauge over/under.
I bought a limbsaver slip on pad which will add about an inch.
Classic Slip-On Recoil Pad
$47 which includes shipping to Montana.
I can fit shopmade plywood spacer shims in the pad and no one will see them.
For a 20 gauge CZ Redhead stock the butt dimension is 5.01" by 1.6"
so a classic slip on part#10547 up to 5.125" by 1.75" fit perfectly:

That lengthened the stock so the length of pull matched all my other shotguns. As a check for fit,
I taped a soda straw on the rib, closed my eyes and quickly mounted the shotgun.
Opened my eyes and was looking straight through the straw to the bead.
Repeated several times, and each time got a perfect alignment thru the straw to the bead.

 

[Ruination]

I like the soda straw idea!

My LOP keeps changing due to a bum shoulder. Think I finally shimmed the gun and got the LOP right, but it took me 3 years.

 

[bustsducks]

Thanks Skeeter
I had forgotten about the straw trick.

 

[Ravenanme]

At 6' 4" the typical stock shotgun length of pull of 14.25-14.5 inches is too short for me.
I recently acquired a CZ 20 gauge over/under.
I bought a limbsaver slip on pad which will add about an inch.
Classic Slip-On Recoil Pad
$47 which includes shipping to Montana.
I can fit shopmade plywood spacer shims in the pad and no one will see them.
For a 20 gauge CZ Redhead stock the butt dimension is 5.01" by 1.6"
so a classic slip on part#10547 up to 5.125" by 1.75" fit perfectly:
View attachment 382603
That lengthened the stock so the length of pull matched all my other shotguns. As a check for fit,
I taped a soda straw on the rib, closed my eyes and quickly mounted the shotgun.
Opened my eyes and was looking straight through the straw to the bead.
Repeated several times, and each time got a perfect alignment thru the straw to the bead. View attachment 382604

The fit seems to be a reasonable fit , for you , but I question even with a 20 ga's recoil whether the plywood spacers ( not glued ) to
the stock , wouldn't put your shooting eye out of alignment ? Stock spacers are available from Brownells ,Midway and others . They
normally are glued on and with longer recoil pad screws , fastened tight to the stock ! Your DAC might be ok for you but DAH might
takes some getting use to , being lower in the shoulder pocket ? Practice shooting will show you this , good luck !

 

[Missy Skeeter]

The fit seems to be a reasonable fit , for you , but I question even with a 20 ga's recoil whether the plywood spacers ( not glued ) to
the stock , wouldn't put your shooting eye out of alignment ? Stock spacers are available from Brownells ,Midway and others . They
normally are glued on and with longer recoil pad screws , fastened tight to the stock ! Your DAC might be ok for you but DAH might
takes some getting use to , being lower in the shoulder pocket ? Practice shooting will show you this , good luck !

Gluing together plywood spacers allows for a much less expensive and more adjustable option
until I get the fit I want, then back home in Alaska where I have a nice shop,
I can use a solid piece of walnut for better looking ~1.1/8" inch shim.

The soda straw tool to check for fit is an old tip:

 

[duckbuster5901]

I struggle with length of pull myself but opposite of yourself. 6' 1" but shoot a 14" length of pull. Seems like most shotguns i,ve bought are 14 1/4" or longer L.O.P. especially Brownings as that seems to be their standard on field stocks. First thing I have to do is cut buttstock on wood and even a couple synthetics to make them mount right for me for hunting. Fortunately some of the Berettas & Benelli synthetics can be set right with just a spacer/pad change. Just had to cut a little Tristar Double last summer to get 14" L.O.P. with an added limbsaver pad . Cringe every time I take a stock to miter saw but you gotta do whats necessary! Never tried the straw trick but I take a 1 5/8" drop at comb and if i,m seeing no rib and just bead when snapped to shoulder and gun shoots 50/50 P.O.I. it works for me.

 

[Ravenanme]

With just watching , a lot of Pro-shooters shoot guns shorter than expected ! With the two finger widths from nose to thumb being a normal mount ,
it's easy to see these shooters closer than that ! You have to be comfortable with your mount , as this practice of LOP needs to be adjusted to the
individual shooter !

 

[Dr Swane]

Looking at some of the older Olympic shooters, more open, longer LOP was their choice/desired. A new style of shooting similar to tactical fast shooting, squaring off your shoulders the the target has images of the mount (men more specifically) with their thumb almost underneath their nose, or their nose on top of their thumb. I read an article where shorter LOP is desired by some shooting teams in some disciplines.

I’ll add, I came from a tactical shooting background. It may offer quick gun mount with easy to find locations on the shoulder or middle chest, rapid target acquisition. In transitioning to shooting clays and birds, the ability to adjust your swing (more open, longer LOP) and follow through helps on a variety of target presentations. I’ll also add, in going from 14.5+ LOP on some guns, down to 13” LOP on compact guns (hunting and sporting clays courses) with good discipline and floating the target and proper lead, you can still routinely break clays.

Have a baseline of what you feel comfortable with and work from there. Olympic Shooter, Kim Rhodes, has an extremely open/long LOP, and she’s successful in swinging the gun. However for most, an extremely short, or extremely long LOP May limit their ability and success.

 

[duckbuster5901]

Guess it boils down a lot to whether your shooting games which allow you to shoot a pre mounted gun or field shooting or other use that requires a quick mount without hang up. I can shoot a longer L.O.P. pre mounted but trying to use that same stock length hunting i'll constantly mis mount due to catching on jkt.

 

[Ravenanme]

Keep in mind a longer stock will change your DAC on targets , coming or going away , high over your head as your cheek slides back on the stock !
I have several of my guns fitted with shorter and longer recoil pads for different times of the year !