The Long and Short of It

Of the four major stock dimensions (length of pull, drop, cast and pitch), most of the fuss is about length. And it really shouldn’t be. Perfectly correct stock length is nice, but it’s not vital. Close enough is usually close enough. How you hold the gun can have a lot to do with it too.

I rooted through my gun safe and came up with one gun stocked at 14” and another at 15-3/8”. (By the way, that length is from the center of the trigger—the front trigger if it’s a double-trigger gun—to the center of the butt/recoil pad.) Both of the guns fit me pretty well. How can this be, since there’s a whopping 1-3/8” difference?

The gun with the 14” stock is a Model 42 pump with the small corncob forend. I have to stretch my left hand quite far forward to hold it properly. The small pistol grip on the stock is also very far forward, thus positioning my right hand closer to the trigger. That’s what makes the gun fit. Moving the left hand forward on the forend and moving the right hand up or forward on the pistol grip will make a short stock seem longer. Try holding a gun this way and you’ll be surprised.

It’s just the opposite with the 15-3/8” gun. This is a 28-gauge Perazzi with a looong barrel. When I had it made, I specified a relaxed pistol grip. It’s not a Prince of Wales, but it’s the same idea. This positions my right hand well aft, and my left hand grasps the rear of the forend because I want to transfer a little more weight up front. The result is that this stock also fits me quite nicely, though it is far longer than the Model 42’s. If you want to make a long stock feel shorter, move your left hand back on the forend and move your right hand down and rearward on the pistol grip. Works every time. Generally, the tighter the pistol grip, the shorter the stock seems. The more open the grip, the longer the stock.

The distance between the base of my right thumb and my shooting glasses is a bit less than an inch on the 42 and a bit more than 2” on the Perazzi. All the gunfitting gurus recommend 1” to 2”, so I figure I’m in the ballpark.

The right length is whatever works for you. If the stock is so short that your hand hits your glasses under recoil, lengthen it. If it’s so long that the stock hangs up when you try to mount it, shorten it. Some people add a stock spacer when switching from thin warm-weather gear to bulky cold-weather clothing. You may prefer your field guns to be slightly shorter than your target guns to exchange a bit of fit for the extreme flexibility required in the field.

But be aware of one thing: Guns with stocks that are too short kick a lot more than guns with stocks that are too long. That’s because longer stocks are more likely to be firmly seated in the shoulder, while short stocks are often held in softly or even away from the shoulder. That gives Mr. Recoil sort of a running jump before he whacks you. Of course, if the stock is so long that you end up mounting on your bicep instead of the shoulder pocket, Mr. R will really have a field day.

Proper stock length not only has to do with your size and physical proportion, but it also depends on your shooting style. If you shoot across your body, you need a longer stock. If you stand squarer to the target, you need less length.

I also tend to stock my double-trigger guns longer than my single-trigger ones. That’s because on a double-trigger gun, I hold my trigger finger so that it is most comfortable on the rear trigger and has to stretch slightly to engage the front. I find that easier than scrunching my finger back to deal with the rear trigger. You may feel differently, but do take double triggers into account when setting up length.

And finally, I try to shoot with the longest stock that is comfortable and can be properly mounted. I do it for the recoil but also because I tend to seesaw short-stocked guns when I mount them. Longer-stocked guns are smoother for me. Perhaps this wouldn’t be an issue if my mounting technique were better or if the darn quail would fly a little slower so that I had more time. Wouldn’t that be great.

Until that glorious day, it’s boots off, beer open.