proper stock fit

[turkaholic]

Just wondering what is the right way to see if your gun fits you? My brother owns a Rem 870 3 1/3" 12 gauge and he feels as though his stock needs to be cut. He keeps getting black and blue around the arm pit area. He thinks that the stock is a little long and he not getting in the sweet spot when in hunting situations. At the range he seems to be ok shooting a good patern.

[WillowRidgeCalls]

From what you've said, I'm not to sure it's a length problem. It sounds more like a height problem, the comb on the stock is to high and if his face is down on the stock and the butt is to low on his shoulder, a 3-1/2" loads will do that to you. It may help putting a better recoil pad on that is a lot softer? If he can mount the gun without having to fidgiting around to do so then I would say it isn't to long, but from what you've said my guess would be he needs a stock with less drop in the comb?

[Treerooster]

Turkey shotgun fit is not as important as fit in a shotgun used for wingshooting. Turkey guns are aimed like a rifle (whether you use sights or not) and not pointed like when wingshooting.

That said it is somewhat common to benefit from a shorter stcok on a turkey gun because of the position you are in most times when shooting. Sitting down and kind of scrunched up. This may explain why your friend experiences bruising while hunting and not at the range.

Your friend should see how the gun fits in a regular shooting position as compared to the normal sitting down turkey hunting shooting position.

Another possible reason to get bruised while shooting at a turkey is if you are shooting extreme right or extreme left (especially right for a righty) as the gun will not be mounted well.

Not sure if your friends gun is a turkey-only gun, but if I had a gun that I shot well wingshooting I would not mess with it for turkey hunting. Better to ge a turlkey-only gun.

[allaboutshooting]

Hey Steve.

Gun fit is very important. One way to see if a gun fits is to dress as you would when shooting or hunting, hold the gun at a low position and then bring it to the shooting position (bringing it to the cheek and not bringing the cheek to the gun) in a smooth motion. Normally, if the stock is too long, it will catch and not allow a smooth mount.

There is also the old method of placing the butt of the gun in the crook of the arm. In this position, the trigger finger should comfortably reach the trigger.

As has been stated, since we turkey hunters are kind of bunched up when we shoot, a shorter stock may be called for than when wing shooting. I'd recommend that your brother try a couple of things.

First, "assume the position" that he normally is in when shooting at a turkey and practice gun placement, in the shoulder pocket. I'd even recommend shooting a few 2.75" clays loads from that position, just to get comfortable with it.

Secondly, while you did not mention what kind of shells he's shooting, I'd recommend some of the 3" Hevi-13 "Bronze" shells with 2 oz. of #6 shot. If he's shooting 3.5" shells, that can be a lot of the problem, even if he's doing everything else correctly. Those shells through an 870 are killers...on both ends. I've seen many people get badly bruised, leading to the dreaded flinch, using 3.5" shells though an 870.

Lastly, I use and recommend a good slip over recoil pad like the Shooter's Friend. It will add 1/4" to the length of pull, so if it's too long that's not good but I'd remove the pad that's on the gun and just use the SF in place of it. It can reduce recoil by over 70% and really help.

Please let us know if we can be of help and all my best to you and your brother this spring.

Thanks,
Clark

[Cut N Run]

If your brother is going to be turkey hunting with that gun he should practice sitting in whatever he intends to use while hunting. I practice from a chair because I always hunt sitting down & I've never shot a turkey from standing.

Another thing that helps me is to take the gun and hold the butt at a 45 degree angle against your shoulder joint so that the toe of the butt is pointing out from your feet while holding your elbow up even with your shoulder height at 90 degrees. Then, as you rotate your arm down to the shooting position you'd be in while seated, the gun settles into place against the pit of your shoulder and more or less locks into position. If you brother is not holding the gun tight enough to his shoulder, it will bruise and batter him.

Jim

[turkaholic]

Thanks for all the help! We will try to resolve the problem. Looking at all those pretty colors around his shoulder gives me goose bumps. His recoil pad is a factory model and is as hard as a hockey puck.

[WyoHunter]

ORIGINAL: turkaholic

Thanks for all the help! We will try to resolve the problem. Looking at all those pretty colors around his shoulder gives me goose bumps. His recoil pad is a factory model and is as hard as a hockey puck.

Detemine a comfortable length of pull and have a LimbSaver or Rem R3 pad installed. Sounds to me that the LOP is a little long and he may not be mounting the the gun in the shoulder "pocket".