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GUN FITTING: WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT ISN'T , AND THE GREAT DIVIDENDS IT CAN PAY!
Here at FSS, Elizabeth and I help lots of students with their gun fit. It is always interesting, and as a general rule, very satisfying to us as instructors and fitters. It is, however, frequently not what the student expects.
Often it is a simple tweak that comes about during their shooting lesson. We see that we could make their gun work better for them with some relatively simple changes. Adjusting their stock height or cast with strips of moleskin, maybe changing their length of pull (LOP) by some simple means, or a change in their pitch by adding washers under the top or bottom of the recoil pad, etc. Sometimes they have adjustable combs or butt stocks, but generally we are making changes in a ‘field expedient’ manner, just to show the small changes make significant differences in the fit and feel of their gun, and then we suggest a gunsmith come behind us and make the changes permanent. Generally they are AMAZED at how simple it all is.
Then there are custom fitted stocks, built from the ground up specifically for a shooter, their style of shooting and their shooting needs . This is where, frequently, students have a different notion of what is involved in ‘being fitted’ for these stocks. They think that they will be ‘measured up’, kind of akin to being measured by a tailor for a new suit. While your body shape and size has quite a bit to do with the dimensions you would need in a shotgun stock, how you handle the gun as a huge impact on your ‘fit’ as well. This issue is further compounded if the shooter is inconsistent in how they handle the gun. If they mount the gun differently shot to shot, which mount does the fitter adjust the gun for? Needless to say, these are the times we have to work with the student on their technique first, to get them handling the gun correctly, and in a consistent manor. Often, the shooter’s gun fits much better after they clean up their gun handling. Saves money and breaks more targets! Yaaayyyy! Who doesn't like that?
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While we work with try guns* in some instances, we greatly prefer to work with the gun that the shooter wants fit to them. Imagine if you have a try gun built around a flat rib 28” field gun, and a shooter wants to be fit for a 32” Kreighoff Pro Sporter, there will be many differences in handling alone that will cause problems. Frequently, we can work with the original stock, modify it to fit, then measure the final dimensions to give to your stockmaker. The BEST answer is to work with your stock maker and shooting coach to make a ‘pattern stock’. This is a stock built to suit you, out of an oversized "plain jane" inexpensive piece of walnut. Sometimes it will need to be modified with the automotive body compound, commonly known as Bondo, and filed down to shape. This gives the fitter the option of dramatically changing your stock shape to fit your body and style. The result? A stock you can shoot for months, making sure you have the dimensions that YOU like and that you have confidence in and using it over a period of time and shooting conditions. Then, after you and the fitter are satisfied, the stock maker can use your pattern stock to duplicate a stock with a more suitable and attractive piece of wood. Add a nice checkering pattern, and beautiful finish and you are done!
I have worked thru this process with different stock makers over the years. Originally with Bob James. He did amazing work, and taught me much of what I know about stocks and gun fit. Bob is now retired, but I still have the custom stocks he made me that fit wonderfully and are still going strong! Now, we work with Jim Greenwood of Greenwood Custom Stocks from Augusta, KS. Jim has built me a couple of stocks, and they have been fantastic. Jim is not only a talented gun fitter but a consummate craftsman. Add the fact that he is also a Master Class sporting clays competitor who certainly knows what is needed in excellent gun fitting and that is gun fitting “tailor-made” to your style of shooting. In addition to careful attention to most areas of your fit, Jim spends more time on the grip, considering both hands, than anyone I’ve worked with. It always astounds me how much subtle and small changes in this area can improve gun handling for the shooter. Recently, while working with a new student, my first observation was that he had a very awkward gun mount, especially from the “FITASC"ready position. It turned out that the problem was 90% in the grip area of his firing hand. After his pattern stock was made, he immediately improved, and he could then begin learning to mount the gun properly for the game.
We have a full fitting facility here at the Fennell Shooting School. We work on gun fit with our students daily as part of their lessons. We are also planning on hosting Jim Greenwood here in South Carolina a couple of times a year to offer his advance fitting with pattern stocks. Using data we observe from the pattern plate, shooting clays, and at times the try gun, our students go home with a great new confidence in their gun fit, and a pattern stock to use until they are certain the fit is perfect for them! Let us know when you want us to make your job easier on the course!
Ready...PULL
Will and Elizabeth Fennell
*A ‘Try gun’ is a shotgun with a stock that is capable of adjusting for length, cast, height, grip shape, pitch, etc. Fitters can use this tool to fit a gun to a student, then measure the results to determine the student’s needs. Though try guns are very effective, the student must also be observed shooting to see how they handle a gun and to their style of shooting.
We have a full fitting facility here at the Fennell Shooting School. We work on gun fit with our students daily as part of their lessons. We are also planning on hosting Jim Greenwood here in South Carolina a couple of times a year to offer his advance fitting with pattern stocks. Using data we observe from the pattern plate, shooting clays, and at times the try gun, our students go home with a great new confidence in their gun fit, and a pattern stock to use until they are certain the fit is perfect for them! Let us know when you want us to make your job easier on the course!
Ready...PULL
Will and Elizabeth Fennell
*A ‘Try gun’ is a shotgun with a stock that is capable of adjusting for length, cast, height, grip shape, pitch, etc. Fitters can use this tool to fit a gun to a student, then measure the results to determine the student’s needs. Though try guns are very effective, the student must also be observed shooting to see how they handle a gun and to their style of shooting.
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