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Does my gun fit?


BigDave15
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Iv been shooting pigeons for a while now and I like to think that even though I am still a beginner ime getting quite good. I usually shoot with a 410 at very close range birds that come in to hedgerows and the woods and manage to kill clean most of the bird I shoot at. But having used my new 20 bore (Over and under) that I got in the summer at birds that are a bit further away I cant seam to hit any thing; I give them enough lead (some times way to much!) then last night standing in front of the mirror with an unloaded gun I noticed something. When I mounted the gun it wasn’t in line with my master eye (Right) so I wasn’t looking down the rib. So I adjusted my mount and now I have a strange view, my master eye points straight down the rib but I can see the left side of both barrels at the end and It looks a bit new to me. I was just wondering what kind of view you guys have when you look down the barrels. I tried this on my side by side 410 and can see both barrels this seams better, should I get a side by side of get my over and under Fitted?   :C

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Dave the important view is the one when you mount the gun naturally,if you have to press your face into the stock,or lift your head up a bit it will do your shooting no good as sooner or later you will find yourself reverting to your natural mount and missing again.Also if you are pressing your face to hard into the stock as it sounds like to get a better sight picture you will find the gun will knock you around more,a friend has a gun like this he uses occasionally and if he fires a couple of boxes of cartridges through it he looks as if someones punched him.I'm confused about what you were seeing and what you see when you compinsate,do you mean you are looking down the left side of the gun and not down the rib,what did you adjust about your mount?

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When I look down the barrels with my master eye, I see straight down the rib without having to duck or stretch.

 

You could also look at the cast on your stock (the amount of bend to the right / left depending on whether you are left or right handed) as this will affect your view down the barrels.  Compare the cast of your new gun with your .410.

 

If you miss by shooting consistently above or below your target, this is an indication of the stock being too short or too long respectively.  If you are hurting your knuckles on the trigger guard, the stock is too short.

 

Compare the stock lengths of both guns.  These are measured from the centre of the front trigger to the centre of the back end of the stock.

 

I will post some pictures in the appropriate section later if I get chance.

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BigDave, it sounds as though you are experiencing some difficulty making the change from sbs to o/u.

I shoot both, but I had a terrible time using an o/u for the first time.

The "picture" you describe, is what I saw.

 

If there is a clay shooting school near you, why not go along and have 50 sporting clays.

See how you get on.

The problem with getting use to a new gun "in the field", is that targets don,t pop up when you shout "pull".  ;)

 

I strongly recommend practise, before you think of altering or changing your gun.

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By the way, a quick check on gun fit.

 

If you are right handed, put the butt of the gun in the joint of your arm (opposite the elbow).

Point gun at ceiling.

Your forearm rests alongside the stock and you trigger finger should fit nicely on the trigger.

If your finger doesn,t reach, the stock is too long.

If your finger overshoots the trigger, its too short.

 

A rough guide only. ;)

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Thanks everybody it sound like I might have to think about getting my gun fitted or swaping it for one that is a better fit Iv been saving for a while and Im thinking about buying a new gun. When I put the gun in its natural mount and look at it head on I can see the whole lenght of the rib but in the mirror my eye does not look straight down it, looks like I need to take a few more clay lessons before I head out again Just incase i Blow the backside of somthing only to have it fly off.

I might try having ago on a 12 bore as im 15 now and maybe the small bores dont fit that well anymore.

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Getting a gun "fitted" properly, is quite expensive.

 

Your local gunshop may have enough expertise, to advise you on the fitting of your gun, free of charge.

Try them first.

 

Also, try my "fitting" test.

 

Just because the gune is a smaller bore, doesn,t mean it won,t fit you.

Also ,just because a gun is a larger bore, it doesn,t mean that will fit you, either.

 

Give it time.

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Thanks. Cranfield I tryed your test and my finger reaches it easly and can go way over the trigger maybe the guns a tad bit small for me. Anyway im going in to town on saturday to my local gun shop and gunsmiths  (Thomas Turner) and hopefully thay can advise me. Thanks you lot you certainly know your stuff.   ;)

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I took it to the GunSmith today and he said the stock was to short. He then Showed us somthing that screwed on to the stock so I brought it and dad fitted it. Its like a recoil pad that made it a better lenght. It's a way to big. Its made out of padding and plastic I suppose I could cut it off were it is needed it looks ugly but It works and I can always unscrew it and put the old one back off when I sell It.  ;)

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