Rifle Stock Fit

[truck driver]

I noticed there is only 1 stock maker that sells a custom stock with off set ( cast ) molded into the butt stock to help redirect recoil.
English stock makers have been doing it for ever with wood stocks and I have yet to figure out why US companies don't do it also.
With all the molded plastic stocks showing up on factory rifles it would be simple to set the mold up to figure in some cast and also various lengths of pull. It sure would make it easier to shoot the light weight rifles in magnum calibers.
I guess the bean counters don't want to sell more rifles and shot guns.
I have nothing against buying after market stocks for my rifles and have done so many times.
I would like to see more rifle manufactures offer barreled actions for sale like Howa so you can get a stock that fits you on your choice of rifle with out paying for something you can't use or have to make do with.
I have been brain washed for ever thinking that 13.5" was the right length of pull for me when it is really closer to 13" which I found out by mistake when I cut a butt stock too short when installing a recoil pad ( OOOPPPS ), that one turned out for the best.

So what do most of you do to get your rifles to fit you?

 

[Anonymous]

One of the better quotes from a book I read on British gunmaking..."The metal men make the gun fire...the stock makers make the gun shoot."

While I've never gone to great lengths to fit my rifles to me since I must be fairly "average" proportioned...I have made the effort to fit my wife and son's rifles to them. The results have been very good there. I do have a couple with adjustable spacers in the butt stock that I like a whole lot. That allows me to change LOP to suit how much clothing I'm wearing.

American gunmakers have always been a sort of "one sized fits all" proposition since, comparatively speaking, Americans just tend to have a more proletarian view of gun ownership. Barring true customs, a rifle is a one size fits all tool bought rather than something made individually for us. The emerging women's market in the U.S. is going to be the force that changes that with more stock options on factory rifles.

 

[Europe]

One of the better quotes from a book I read on British gunmaking..."The metal men make the gun fire...the stock makers make the gun shoot."

While I've never gone to great lengths to fit my rifles to me since I must be fairly "average" proportioned...I have made the effort to fit my wife and son's rifles to them. The results have been very good there. I do have a couple with adjustable spacers in the butt stock that I like a whole lot. That allows me to change LOP to suit how much clothing I'm wearing.

American gunmakers have always been a sort of "one sized fits all" proposition since, comparatively speaking, Americans just tend to have a more proletarian view of gun ownership. Barring true customs, a rifle is a one size fits all tool bought rather than something made individually for us. The emerging women's market in the U.S. is going to be the force that changes that with more stock options on factory rifles.

excellent response on several points

"on average" we ( Americans) tend to buy quantity more than quality. We claim not to be able to afford a particular rifle or shotgun, but we buy several of each that costs more than the really nice one we could not afford.

Being female, I found out early on the rifles and shotguns, off the rack, did not work, as well as rifles and shotguns, made for me. I would venture a guess that the Connecticut shotgun my husband had made for me was used for 95 % of my shotgun hunting. Same with my rifles. I did the same for my daughter and am doing the same for my granddaughter.

This is a touchy one, as some will take exception to what I am about to say. And again, on average, not all--but most Europeans buys a rifle that works/fits for them and will use it all their life, and some of that is because of the difference in the laws there and in the states. But some here, including my husband, like to play with a variety of calibers, rifles and bought and sold them al the time. I think this is part of the mentality that the manufacturers also see.

But as Mike said we are now seeing women and youth models, more and more, but for the most part manufacturers still believe all men are the same size and tend to produce their products accordingly

 

[noslerpartition]

Old saying - especially for shotguns - the barrel shoots, the stock hits.
Getting a rifle for my wife was an odyssee. In the end we found one, had the stock shortened and she is happy.
She is just 5'4'' so normal stocks were simply too long.
I seem.to be close to standard-size, but even then I am thinking about having a custom built.
There is an Irish guy making exelent ones for my Tikka...

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[maverick2]

My understanding is that "cast" is a stock parameter that is mainly used to get proper eye alignment down the barrel while keeping the butt in the shoulder pocket w/o having too much (or too little) cheek pressure on the comb. It can be a mixed bag regarding recoil however, increasing or decreasing face slap and felt recoil in the shoulder because everyone's physique and dimensions are different. The shotgun sports (trap, skeet, and sporting clays) have contributed to numerous custom stock makers and adjustable stocks because of the sheer number of shots those shooters take in a day and the pounding they take week after week. My guess is that mass production rifle and stock makers don't do this is because any tweaks they make aren't likely to be cost effective -- they'd have to offer too many variations and a significant portion of the buyers aren't willing to pay the added cost for something they'll pull the trigger on less than 10 shots per year. Stocks with adjustable combs and butt plates are probably more feasible, but they add weight (and in a lot of cases are ugly).

 

[drakehammer]

Shotguns with adjustable combs and buttplates are the norm in shotgun sports. Gun fit is of utmost importance for competitive shotgunning and hunting because shotguns are pointed. For most rifle use, the necessity for perfect fit is not nearly as important because rifles are aimed, granted proper lop and comb height can make rifle shooting a bit more comfortable.


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[Dr. Vette]

With all the molded plastic stocks showing up on factory rifles it would be simple to set the mold up to figure in some cast and also various lengths of pull. It sure would make it easier to shoot the light weight rifles in magnum calibers.

Have you seen the Savage AccuFit stocks?

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articl ... it-system/

 

[truck driver]

With all the molded plastic stocks showing up on factory rifles it would be simple to set the mold up to figure in some cast and also various lengths of pull. It sure would make it easier to shoot the light weight rifles in magnum calibers.

Have you seen the Savage AccuFit stocks?

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articl ... it-system/

Yes I have along with the new Boyd's. Thanks for the link.

 

[Guy Miner]

Weatherby's Camilla has a fair bit of cast to the stock, so that it fits women better. Unusual design, and the ladies I've spoken with who shoot one, are very pleased.


I like a longer length of pull myself. Had my McMillan made an inch longer than the standard LOP of the typical Rem 700 hunting rifles I use. The longer LOP was particularly useful from prone.

Had a Winchester 70 match rifle that had an adjustable length of pull - that worked out quite well.

Guys 'n gals - we're NOT all the same size & proportion. Nice to have a rifle or shotgun that actually fits! Mostly though, we just make do.

Guy

 

[truck driver]

Weatherby's Camilla has a fair bit of cast to the stock, so that it fits women better. Unusual design, and the ladies I've spoken with who shoot one, are very pleased.


I like a longer length of pull myself. Had my McMillan made an inch longer than the standard LOP of the typical Rem 700 hunting rifles I use. The longer LOP was particularly useful from prone.

Had a Winchester 70 match rifle that had an adjustable length of pull - that worked out quite well.

Guys 'n gals - we're NOT all the same size & proportion. Nice to have a rifle or shotgun that actually fits! Mostly though, we just make do.

Guy

Yep we're not all built the same. I shot trap for quite a few years in my teens and had an old Win M12 with a Bishop roll over Monty Carlo style butt stock on it
That fit me prefect for off hand shooting and use to shoot several hundred rounds a day when competing. My M40XB I shot on the rifle team while in the service was another firearm that seemed to just fit right. There is something about the older Remington BDL stock with the high comb that matches my cheek weld and length of pull also.
I always seem to get good cheek weld with this style of stock.
The classics though they look good just don't fit right for me and I need a stock with less drop at the heel and a higher comb.
But for the most part I just make do with what I can get and make adjustments to suit me.

 

[SJB358]

I was a late comer to this as well. First off, the Winchester Sporter stock has always felt good to me, but it is pretty darned chunky if you are trying to keep a rifle feeling svelte. I have also been cutting my current stocks at 14" LOP and my God what a darned difference. I could probably have cut them to 14.5" if all I wore was light clothing, but with a pack on my shoulders and heavier clothing, 14" works better for me in the hills. The Echols Legends has some cast molded into it and seems to act like a muzzle brake in reducing felt recoil to me. Cut to 14" LOP my eye actually comes to where it should be when I shoulder it from any position and the larger open grip really appeal to my larger than average hands. So far I have put on on my Mashburn, 338 and 300 Weatherby and my only regret is not doing it sooner.

April said it pretty well and probably nailed me to a T. I have a bunch of rifles, but the Mashburn and 338 have become go to hunting rifles since they fit so well and I shoot them so well. With lighter recoiling rifles in the 06 class, standard stocks are still fine for me, but when it comes to heavier recoil, pass the Legends. They cost the same as a McMillan, since they are made for Echols by McMillan but they do take some fitting since they come unfinished and uncut, but they have been worth it to me, especially for my main battle rifles that get hunted.

 

[truck driver]

Scotty I noticed on the McMillan web site the offer a Safari model for the M70 which has some cast molded in and wondering if it's the same stock you refer to.
If it is McMillan will finish it any way you want.
Being cheap I would probably get one and just switch it between which ever M70 I choose to hunt with. >) They tend to cost more then I pay for most of the rifles I buy.

 

[SJB358]

Scotty I noticed on the McMillan web site the offer a Safari model for the M70 which has some cast molded in and wondering if it's the same stock you refer to.
If it is McMillan will finish it any way you want.
Being cheap I would probably get one and just switch it between which ever M70 I choose to hunt with. >) They tend to cost more then I pay for most of the rifles I buy.

The Legend is probably closest to their Super Grade stock than anything else on there. I think there is a bit of cast off in that one. The Legend is pretty slim through the grip and fairly slim through the forend as well. Not quite a newer Featherweight slim.. Overall though, the stocks are pretty slim other than a decent cheek piece on them which seems to nicely hold my face in the right spot. Hard to really describe until you shoulder one that fits for you.

I'd offer to show you a couple of mine, but being as you like the 13" vs longer it may actually feel more awkward anyhow. The whole stock business is a crap shoot!

I did put my old 264 Win Mag into an EDGE not too long ago and man alive does it feel much better in my hands than the old Sporter stock did. The Sporter stock was great to shoot, just a little chunky feeling when carrying it.

 

[truck driver]

Did the M70 stocks you took off have the Monty Carlo style high comb?
I was also looking at the Hunter style which is a Sako design which has some cast.

 

[SJB358]

Did the M70 stocks you took off have the Monty Carlo style high comb?
I was also looking at the Hunter style which is a Sako design which has some cast.

Yeah, they have a decent size rollover comb to them.

 

[1100 Remington Man]

I know when I put a HS Precision on my .264 Win Man. I had it made with a longer Length of pull.
My 6mm has had a 1 inch recoil pad on it for the last 40 years for a longer length of pull.

 

[Darkhorse]

My flintlocks have cast "on" for a lefthand shooter and the LOP I made a little shorter in order to fit well with winter clothing. Funny but I've never considered a modern CF with cast off, or on.
My Browning Maxus came with shims to adjust LOP and cast, maybe drop too but it's been awhile since I set it up and I don't remember. It really helps I could use a little more cast than the shims provide.
There's something about those older Remington stocks, like the model 1100 that just fit me the best of all off the shelf shotguns.
My 700 BDL is another one that just fits very well, all I've done is add a Limbsaver. I also like the older Browning synthetic stocks with palm swell that came on the A bolt's.
The one that fits the worse is the synthetic stock on my Tikka. It's a little long and slippery and I find it hard to get that good fit my others have. Sooner or later I'll restock that rifle. Maybe I'll just make one with cast, can't be any harder to do than carving out a flintlock stock.