when sizing a stock

[rabjr]

Sorry, I'm a hunter and tend to see things in that light. ::

 

[Ohio Joe]

Are you comfortable at 13 inches of pull length with both winter and summer clothing? If not, and you are "stretch" reaching with your winter clothing on to get to the trigger you probably would be safe to shorten your pull length by 1/4 to 3/8 inches... Custom stocks are great because the stock is built around the shooter's needs and want's... If you do shorten your stock's trigger pull, remember that your drop will also change... Consider this before you do any cutting, and if you feel you can live with the difference then proceed... If this rifle is for nice t-shirt weather only and the 13 inch pull feels good, then leave everything alone...

 

Shortening a stock by an inch just for winter is a mistake.
: Even if you feel your cold weather clothing is an inch thick, it really doesn't take an inch off the pull - more like 3/8". A little bit makes a big difference in the feel. I find I can shoot anything from 13" to 14" during winter or summer with no problem. Just as I said, with experience, the shoulder moves to the stock, not the head or neck - they maintain the upright position if at all possible - and it usually is.
: For speed, the shape of the butt has more to do with fit than length of pull. A shotgun butt or English style butt is the very best of hunting rifle butt shapes & is why the English rifles are the very best, fastest hunting rifles. They fit and feel & point just like a good shotgun.
Daryl

 

I must have gorilla arms. I am 6'0" and my pull length is 15-1/4 if measured as described above. Both of my rifles have a 15-1/8 trigger pull length and I am comfortable shooting them.

 

Length of neck and where you place the butt makes a difference here as well. Cupped in the shoulder pocket, or just barely onto the arm at the ball joint, I don't see how that length could be comfortable, but then - perhaps you are correct and are a knuckle dragger. Do you work at a correctional facility? We had several like you, but then all of us oldsters were called knuckledraggers back then by the Phsycologist until we converted him to our knuckledragging ways. We turned him into a pistol shooteraholic inside 2 years, from a Dr. who had no use for guns of any sort, let alone handguns. I took him out on Prowl Duty several nights & showed him what fun it was to shoot stray cats and bears in the dark around the jail, just using the lights of the facility. Sometimes living up in the bush has it's benifits, eh?

 

[musketman]

I am 6'0" and my pull length is 15-1/4 if measured as described above. Both of my rifles have a 15-1/8 trigger pull length and I am comfortable shooting them.

I suspect that muscle mass will have something to add here as well, you being a blacksmith by trade, you must have large arms and upper chest to swing forging hammers all day...

 

I have a lot less muscle mass than when I was 25 and I use a 2 lb hammer now instead of a 4 lb. I have found precision, speed and longevity are better than pure strength. In addition, my reach is 76" across my back so I think I'm just a knuckle-dragger ... :redface:

 

Oh- I thought everyone's reach was 76". It's normal in this part of the land. Probably from swinging axes and chainsaws. - HA!
Daryl