When I ordered my .50 cal. rifle, I asked for double set triggers, and a LOP of 14 inches. What was delivered was a rifle with a LOP Of 15 1/4" , because the moron who built it measured the length of pull from the set trigger( rearmost) rather than the firing trigger up front. I recently had that stock shortened, and its made a world of difference in both the gun's balance, and how it mounts to my shoulder- even when my eyes are closed. There were other problems with the stock, and I was very close to simply buying a new stock and fitting it properly myself. Your inlays can be saved. Carving can be redone. Get a stock that fits you, and you will learn to love shooting the gun. I did a lot of searching over the years to find a builder who could fit a stock properly.
The man who built my fowler( an Eastern version of those Trade guns) happens to be a skilled gunmaker, and all he asked was for me to give him the measurements from my most comfortable long gun.
I met with him, and he had me point an unloaded gun at him several times, while he looked down the barrel to see where the comb met my face, and how well my eye was centered over the barrel. He then use a ruler to measure the distance from my collar bone to my cheekbone. When he had rough shaped the stock, he had me return and try the round stock again, so he could make his final adjustments.
The result is a gun that mounts easily to my shoulder and cheek, centers my eye down the barrel, is well balanced to allow an effortless swing, and a gun that is a joy to shoot.
Every shooter deserves such a gun, IMHO. :hmm: :hatsoff: :hatsoff:
