Shotgun fit - The basics

Written by: Luke Care. 

Almost everyone reading this has fired a shotgun. But how much thought have you given to fitting it correctly?

To shoot well you need to work on two components – the mount (how you bring the gun up to a shooting position), and the fit (how the gun fits to your body).

As a shotgun has no rear sight, the position of your eye relative to the front bead becomes your rear sight, and therefore where and how consistently your head sits on the comb is critical to accurate shooting. To achieve this consistent and correct cheek position you need to work on two components – the mount (how you bring the gun up to a shooting position), and the fit (how the gun fits to your body and face).

Most males of average height and build can roughly ‘fit’ most off-the-shelf shotguns however people come in all shapes and sizes - like smaller female shooters - so the shotgun needs to be able to reflect that. There are things you can adjust to ensure that you’re hitting where you’re aiming, and that the experience is consistent and comfortable. Keep an eye on some of these variables this season to see if you might need to tune your shotgun a little.

Length of Pull (LOP)

Length of pull is the distance from the front of the trigger to the rear of the buttstock. A LOP that is too short will cause poor butt contact with the shoulder and your grip hand can even impact on the face as you fire. Conversely, a LOP that is too long can make the shotgun difficult to mount properly and consistently.

Adjusting the LOP can be done simply by adding or removing spacers or cutting the butt stock shorter if feasible.

An important consideration with LOP is the clothing you are wearing. If you set the gun up while wearing a T-shirt don’t be surprised when you have difficulty mounting the shotgun on a cold winter morning with an inch more clothing over your shoulder!

Cast

Cast refers to the lateral angle at which the buttstock deviates from the centreline of the gun barrel. Essentially, cast determines the side-to-side alignment of the shooter’s eye with the gun's bore.

A shotgun without the appropriate cast for its user may lead to consistent left or right misses because the eye is not aligned with the barrel. Most premium shotguns allow for cast adjustments via shims between the grip and the receiver, or in the case of break-open guns, fitting a stock that is specifically shaped with the correct cast. Existing wooden stocks can even be bent by professional fitters. 

Drop

Drop refers to the vertical distance between the line of sight down the barrel and the stock's comb. If the drop is too great, you will shoot under the bird. Too little drop will cause the shooter to shoot over the bird. Again, remember your eye position is your rear sight.

Adjustments to drop can be achieved through shims similar to those used in addressing cast to angle the butt down, or using adjustable combs to bring it up. Even if your shotgun did not come with an adjustable comb they can be fitted as an aftermarket solution for many stocks – excluding semi-automatic shotguns with recoil management systems in the buttstock

Pitch

Pitch refers to the angle at which the butt of the shotgun rests against the shooter's shoulder. Proper pitch ensures that the force of the shot is directed squarely back into the shoulder, rather than up or down. Too little pitch (the toe of the butt closer to the shoulder) can cause the pad to catch on your clothing during mounting.

What to adjust

Evaluating just what needs adjusting can be the hardest part. You don’t want to dive too deep into shotgun fit until you have done enough shooting to understand why it doesn’t fit you. Competitive shooters will spend hours upon hours at home simply practicing mounting their gun to identify any issues with fit and build muscle memory for game day. The same is necessary for hunters, the fit needs to be natural and repeatable. You cannot afford to be making adjustments while tracking the path and getting in front of the bird.

If you’re repeatedly missing shots this season, the best way to discover any potential point of impact issues is to pattern your gun. You should be doing this anyway, to see if the load/choke combinations you have selected are working well at the ranges you plan to use them at, but checking where your pattern hits relative to where you are looking is how you pick up the cheek to comb relationship issues we’ve covered in this article.