cheek slapper

[crankysob]

I bought a used traditions Pennsylvania rifle,older model with 40 inch barrel. Shooting 80 gr. powder and prb it is a cheek slappin sob. Does anyone know a remedy for this or do i have a decoration piece.

 

[akroguy]

I had a Pedersoli Kentucky that did that. The "Roman nose" type of comb just smacks me right in the cheek bone big time. Sold it. Straight-combed rifles generally don't do that to me. You can try a different hold...cheek weld aft or move buttstock off shoulder and onto upper bicep, or vice versa.

Some guns just don't fit.

 

[Bearkiller]

First of all, welcome to the forum. Well @akroguy beat me to it. As he says some guns just don't fit. I don't know what the resale value of your rifle is but a new one retails for $1k. In the long run you'd probably be happier with a different gun.

 

[R Ellis]

most slappers have a to short LOP

 

[bpd303]

most slappers have a to short LOP

That has been my experience also, although a too long LOP (length of pull) will also slap ya. Easy to correct a short LOP with a strap on butt pad, the only way to correct a long one is to cut the stock & re-fit the butt plate.
LOP is why some guns don't fit ya.
Edit: Back in 2013, I won the bid on 2 Hatfield rifles. A 45 cal Flintlock that fit me like a glove and it is a very good shooter. The other one was a 54 cal percussion and it had a long LOP and it would slap me hard even with mild loads. In 2017 I decided to gift that one to the officer that took my place as Lt. when I retired. It fit him like a glove and didn't slap him. He harvested a nice buck with it that season if memory serves me.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/one-of-two-hatfields-i-received-for-my-birthday.87813/

 

[stubshaft]

You can try to add a oft cheekpiece to your rifle. I've used them for trapshooting and although they may not look PC they do allow you to shoot comfortably.

 

[kyron4]

My Traditions Kentucky rifle in 50 cal. slaps my high cheek bone pretty good. More from the bench than from offhand shooting. For casual target shooting I run a 50 grain load of 3F with a PRB and bump it up to 60 grains for hunting.

 

[BoomStick]

I have one gun that slaps my cheek shooting seated at a bench, but standing is ok. Try a different position or hold.

 

[deerstalkert]

I have a .54 that i built following the DeerstalkerT school of design. sucker would give me a black eye from cheek to my ear. couple shots and i felt like my ear was coming off.
pulled it apart and locked it in my vise, grabbed a rasp and lowered the comb. can't say how much but when i lay my face on that cheek piece now my eye is lined up with both sights. hardest thing i had to over come building long rifles was the fear of taking off too much wood.
now i get the stock egg shell thin on the forearm and follow the lines mostly all the way to the butt plate.
long way of saying lower the comb.

 

[andy52]

most slappers have a to short LOP

Yep. Most of the original rifles I have are too short LOP and don't shoulder well.

 

[EC121]

Cut the stock down until you can look down the sights without crowding the stock. It's a Traditions. You can't hurt it.

 

[Mike in FL]

Lots of good answers here. Can't think of any other remedies.

 

[N5JIF]

Does the twist rate have any measurable effect on this?

 

[Nor'Easter]

I would say only in respect to the projectile choice, if conical = heavier = more recoil.
.
I don't think one could feel the difference if all other parts of the equation, except twist, are the same.

 

[Nor'Easter]

Are you able and willing to reshape the comb of the butt stock?

 

[Terry Lightle]

My TC Hawken hit me hard untill I took an orbital sander to range with me.Shoot and sand till it was fixed,not near as much cheek piece left and has a pretty good offset away from my cheek now.Amazing how much better you shoot without a black and blue cheek

 

[Buckskinquin]

I bought a used traditions Pennsylvania rifle,older model with 40 inch barrel. Shooting 80 gr. powder and prb it is a cheek slappin sob. Does anyone know a remedy for this or do i have a decoration piece.

You’ll have to remove the comb on top of the stock. I had one, a 50 cal., got a slight black eye everytime I shot it for any long period. Solution, I sold it.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

I have one gun that slaps my cheek shooting seated at a bench, but standing is ok. Try a different position or hold.

If your getting smacked on the bench but not offhand you need to get the rifle up higher on the bench. When I shoot an offhand rifle on the bench it is set up higher so that my cheek will be on the stock the same place as when I shoot offhand. that way you are not over the comb trying to pick up the sights.

 

[BoomStick]

If your getting smacked on the bench but not offhand you need to get the rifle up higher on the bench. When I shoot an offhand rifle on the bench it is set up higher so that my cheek will be on the stock the same place as when I shoot offhand. that way you are not over the comb trying to pick up the sights.

Absolutely correct, and why I suggested standing and being more upright mayr help the OP.

My local club has benches for average size shooters. I get as high as I can but the setup gets wobbly (I need to come up with something better than this) but much higher and the muzzle comes close to the header over the shooting position. My spotting scope in the photo is just under the header. Range is in an urban area, so it's an effort to force everyone to keep the muzzles pointed low, but a bit awkward for taller shooters.

Rifle in the photo is not my cheek slapper, it has a straight and low comb.

 

[bpd303]

I made a bench rest that is stable & adjustable for height.
Edit: add thread. Here is a thread with more info.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/shooters-bench.181682/