How do you fit and verify fit of big bore rifles

[Kudurifle]

I just purchased a custom CZ 458 Lott. Seems a little short. A gunsmith says I have a 14'1/2 LOP and it needs to be a bit longer but I have always shot factory length rifles with no problem. I am not a big guy, I just have longer arms. I have heard proper fit is critical in the big boys, so I want to make sure it is right. Is a little short or a little long better for big rifles and dangerous game? How should I determine proper fit? Thanks, all. Mike

 

[Red Leg]

You need enough length to keep your thumb from blooding your nose, and if you are scoping it, enough eye relief to prevent injury. I am six feet tall and shoot 14.5 to 14.75 LOP in shotguns depending upon drop. My best fitting rifles are around 14 - 14.25 inches. Most shooters are comfortable with a slightly shorter LOP in a rifle than they are a SxS. Determining "proper fit" is a fairly complicated process with bespoke shotguns, and, I suppose, could be equally time consuming with a rifle. Sounds like you have shot a bit. I would simply take the deer rifle in your rack which seems to best fit when held offhand, and try to duplicate that LOP on your DG rifle.

 

[Desperatezulu]

Proper fit is important but a lot of that is about weight of the gun and shape of the stock in a big bore. Bad mounting and posture is going to result in uncomfortable recoil and resultant poor accuracy.

Are you fitting a scope or not? This is very material if you're going to be messing around with LOP - stating the obvious but the wrong LOP/eye relief combo is going to reshape your eyebrow and also make for some painful recoil if you're having to contort yourself around the stock to get a proper picture through the scope.

If open sights, then the LOP is about getting the gun mounting naturally and comfortably while maintaining a good cheek weld. If you need a minor amount of extra length, you can add a thicker recoil pad or even put shims between the recoil pad and the stock.

 

[matt85]

find a rifle with a short LOP then add temp shims until it feels perfect. im sure there is a better way but you will have to talk to a custom rifle maker to figure those out.

-matt

 

[nztimb]

For a heavy rifle a shorter length of pull may help with reloading from the shoulder. I found that when I put a shorter pad on my rifle it bought the weight back toward the body just enough to be quite noticable in reloading from the shoulder that may not be evident in a lighter rifle. I would check not only the mount for comfort but the bolt work as well as that can make the difference between a fast confident reload or having to dismount the rifle to chamber another round. In some circumstances that may just make a serious difference. A shorter L O P will also help in the free hand hold for a longer than point blank shot where a rest is not immediately available.
I would suggest going with the shortest L O P that will keep your thumb clear of your nose in recoil.

 

[Rule 303]

I have replaced the standard stock on my CZ550 in 416 Rigby with a synthetic stock that has a 15" length of pull. I am 6'2" or 187cm. The CZ standard stock is normally long enough for me but not on a hard kicker. I have a long neck and in the heat of things my eye ends up to close to the scope. The extra length of pull means I don't have to remember to pull my head back a bit. The rifle still comes to the shoulder nice and quick.

If you have a long neck you may need the longer length of pull, the longer arms should not matter to much for you unless with the shorter length of pull you tend to place too much of your finger through the trigger guard. See if you can try before you buy.

 

[DM Shooting]

Shotgun fitting is a commonly discussed art (one I practise most days) rifle fitting is something seldom focused on with doubles we use try guns like the shotguns and in fact the dimensions end up very similar, to a pistol gripped or pow grip side by side.

Bolt actions it seems mostly ignored here (I believe in part due to the mild recoil of most popular rifle ie below 30cal) however it is still an Art not a science.

The stock must be long enough to protect the eye from scoping, but short enough to allow a fast mount with the nose and thumb close to provide increased hand eye coordination (viatal in a shotgun or DG rifle) however to long or short will felt recoil.

Next bend (or drop) to allow positive sight alignment whilst keeping the lines as straight as possible this again reduces felt recoil.

Pitch also has effects on recoil and rapid relignment for a follow up shoot.

I've gone on a bit and apologise it's poor written that's what a bottle of red wine does.

 

[siutis]

Find a competent gunsmith. He will measure and customize your rifle to your length of pull. I recommend that you do this for all of your rifles.

 

[Philip Glass]

I just purchased a custom CZ 458 Lott. Seems a little short. A gunsmith says I have a 14'1/2 LOP and it needs to be a bit longer but I have always shot factory length rifles with no problem. I am not a big guy, I just have longer arms. I have heard proper fit is critical in the big boys, so I want to make sure it is right. Is a little short or a little long better for big rifles and dangerous game? How should I determine proper fit? Thanks, all. Mike

You should have all of your big guns fitted to you. Take your gunsmiths advice and let him make the adjustment for you. If he is not the best choice then find another gunsmith that is good at fitting. You must understand, as I’m sure you have read here, this is not a .243 that you can grab off the shelf, stick some scope on it, and go deer huntin’. When your next hunt takes you to the other side of the globe and the animals there stomp and bite everything you do needs to step up a notch!
Philip

 

[BenKK]

Guys, the thing is, the boys who live in the bush mostly aren’t in a financial position that allows them to get their rifles nicely fitted. We grow-up shooting anything and everything, and make it work. Not sure how, just do. I have one custom rifle, but still wasn’t able to actually get it fitted. But did give a fair bit of info to get it as right as possible.

 

[BenKK]

Having said that, if you can get something improved, I think it’s a great idea. I would.

 

[AZDAVE]

On the harder kickers fit and stock design is very important. If you look at the old muzzle loaders you will see most of the early eastern long rifles had a lot of drop, one due to shoot style and the other that was the old world tradition that was brought from Eurpoe. but most all those rifles we 36-45 cal and had almost no recoil as the westward expansion started occurring and the explores and trapper came into contact with much larger animals and the Calibres went from 54-72 you see the stock shape get much straighter to deal with the recoil and perceived recoil on the part of the shooter. You also see the same in the English big bores 16-2bores on a purdy style of stock. And the english had a well developed industry that custom fit to the buyer. I have read several book on stock fitting and building. I have restocked a number of rifles for myself, my wife and a couple friends and these two fitting guides are about the best I have found to give you a basic set of numbers that will work. I then have fine tunned the drop and comb and heel and cast off as I am shaping the wood. I am 5'11" but have a longer neck and long arms. My measurements come out with a 15 1/4 LOP. On a double rifleand shotgun I find that 15 is perfect with me on a boltgun. My cold weather boltguns are 14 3/4.

 

[Justin.]

On the harder kickers fit and stock design is very important. If you look at the old muzzle loaders you will see most of the early eastern long rifles had a lot of drop, one due to shoot style and the other that was the old world tradition that was brought from Eurpoe. but most all those rifles we 36-45 cal and had almost no recoil as the westward expansion started occurring and the explores and trapper came into contact with much larger animals and the Calibres went from 54-72 you see the stock shape get much straighter to deal with the recoil and perceived recoil on the part of the shooter. You also see the same in the English big bores 16-2bores on a purdy style of stock. And the english had a well developed industry that custom fit to the buyer. I have read several book on stock fitting and building. I have restocked a number of rifles for myself, my wife and a couple friends and these two fitting guides are about the best I have found to give you a basic set of numbers that will work. I then have fine tunned the drop and comb and heel and cast off as I am shaping the wood. I am 5'11" but have a longer neck and long arms. My measurements come out with a 15 1/4 LOP. On a double rifleand shotgun I find that 15 is perfect with me on a boltgun. My cold weather boltguns are 14 3/4.
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Now that is one heck of a useful share! Thank you!