Does a long L.O.P. cause shooting to the side?

[trent/OH]

I have a Japanese made Brown Bess which has a length of pull which is too long for me. In fact I find it best to pull the trigger with my midddle finger. The musket shoots a little low and about 4 inches left at 25 yards. I've thought about bending the barrel, or a little filing of the muzzle, but then I got to thinking.........
Could the long LOP be causing me to shoot to the left, if I'm shooting off the right shoulder?

 

[roundball]

You could probably determine that with just a few shots shooting off the bench / sandbags...see if its you or the barrel pretty quick

 

[ohio ramrod]

Since the bess does not have a rear sight a L O P that is incorrect could have you holding the gun at an angle and not noticing it. As suggested try a few shots off of the bench to determine if the barrel needs adjustments or the stock needs trimed. :idunno: :idunno:

 

[BrownBear]

I've never seen side-to-side, but it certainly can affect up and down. I'm 6'4" with orangatan arms according to my wife, so LOP is often too short rather than too long. I have a tendency to throw my shots high on short stocks, especially with no rear sight and a comb that is a little high. I just don't get my head down far enough.

I'd sure bench it as the others suggest.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Stock dimentions are quite important for snap shooting on flying game. For carefully aimed ball shots I doubt that LOP would have much effect on shot placement. To shorten that stock would be a lot of work, I'd learn to live with it.

 

[Snow on the Roof]

I've never seen side-to-side, but it certainly can affect up and down. I'm 6'4" with orangatan arms according to my wife, so LOP is often too short rather than too long. I have a tendency to throw my shots high on short stocks, especially with no rear sight and a comb that is a little high. I just don't get my head down far enough.

I'd sure bench it as the others suggest.

I think Brown Bear and I where separated at birth as I am 6'5" and a founding member of the Grass Stained Knuckle Society. When a shooting a smooth bore with too short of LOP I will hit high as well. Most "muskets" are way to short for me usually giving me a sight picture with the front sight considerably higher than the rear sight. However LOP is not the only culprit drop at comb { most military stocks are very straight }, even width of the butt can affect your shooting.

Snow

 

[David W.]

I've never seen side-to-side, but it certainly can affect up and down. I'm 6'4" with orangatan arms according to my wife, so LOP is often too short rather than too long. I have a tendency to throw my shots high on short stocks, especially with no rear sight and a comb that is a little high. I just don't get my head down far enough.

I'd sure bench it as the others suggest.

I think Brown Bear and I where separated at birth as I am 6'5" and a founding member of the Grass Stained Knuckle Society. When a shooting a smooth bore with too short of LOP I will hit high as well. Most "muskets" are way to short for me usually giving me a sight picture with the front sight considerably higher than the rear sight. However LOP is not the only culprit drop at comb { most military stocks are very straight }, even width of the butt can affect your shooting.

Snow

The off-set (or lack of it) can also affect accuracy.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Eliminate factors such as the gun not shooting true to point of aim and shooter error (flinching, hunkering, etc.) by shooting off a good rest for a series (same thing every time) and also having others do the same.

 

[Stumpkiller]

How are you aiming? I have seen Besses that have the bayonet lug centered well enough for a foresight, and others where it was double-digit degrees off to either side. I pretty much ignored mine and aimed the Bess as I do a traditional bow - focus on the target and let my low peripheral vision work out the hold.