TonytheTiger Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 True story! I've always considered myself decent shotgunner so I've been focusing hard on my rifle and pistol shooting lately and neglecting my shotgun practice. Watching some videos of Pat Kelley's famous shotgun skills got me motivated to get back to work. During my shotgun hiatus I've learned to call my shots and track the sights through recoil, and what I saw when I picked the shotgun back up was appalling. When trying to mow my plate rack down I ended up looking at the top of the rib halfway through every time. After two hours of dry fire shouldering my gun from low ready and port arms I decided that I needed to adjust my stock and add more drop, even though I'd previously thought that the technicalities of shotgun fit where more applicable to clay shooters and us 3 gunners just needed to muscle the gun from one target to the next. 5 minutes later I had 5mm more drop and it felt like a different gun just in dry fire drills. This was a week ago and I finally made it out to the backyard range today to see if the proof was in the pudding. Starting from low ready, gun loaded, chambered and on safe. Plates are 6", spaced 14" and I was shooting from 9 yards. Pre stock adjustment: average of 5 runs was 4.5 seconds with all hits but watching my sights it was clear I was on the ragged edge of a miss for the last three plates, with my cheekweld and stance taking a beating. After adjustment? 3.5 seconds with my rib staying level in my sight picture and my bead transitioning horizontally with way less vertical movement. Yup, fitting a shotgun makes all the difference in the world, and it's free! Thanks Pat for the motivation to really assess what was happening and put some thought into why I couldn't burn them plates down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPeel Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Isn't it fun to find something simple that makes such a difference! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Yes it is! I've had my 1301 for 8 months and over 2000 rounds and I've been fighting the gun to get any speed out of it the whole time. I just figured that's how it was with shotgun's till I watched some of the pros and realized there's more of an art to it and I must be missing something important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPeel Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I too found an amazing improvement when I adjusted my stock to fit. Thanks to Pat Kelley! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louu Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Do you have a link to what Mr.Kelley was talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishsticks Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Do you have a link to what Mr.Kelley was talking about? http://www.multigunmedia.com/shotgun-fit.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPeel Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) see above.... Edited January 12, 2015 by JPeel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Thank you Guys! It is the reason I write them! I am not a "gunwriter" as those guys can spit stuff out in a hour or two. (too often not worth the effort to read) I am a student, observer, practitioner and instructor who spends way too much time getting it a right as I can, before I submit an article. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louu Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Thanks guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Moneypenny Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 awesome, glad to see this and thanks for posting it Pat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Might be time to do some testing. great post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Jacket Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Thanks for posting. I have not seen this and thanks Pat for compiling the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbiker101 Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Thanks for posting and great article Pat. Adjusting my shotgun fit is the first thing I do out of the box. The factory lop is too long and with a short lop you can get that gun shouldered fast. Never understood why so many try to make their body fit the shotgun vs making the shotgun fit them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Thanks for posting and great article Pat. Adjusting my shotgun fit is the first thing I do out of the box. The factory lop is too long and with a short lop you can get that gun shouldered fast. Never understood why so many try to make their body fit the shotgun vs making the shotgun fit them. At 6'4" I shorten my LOP to around 14". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickb45 Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Great article Patrick! My new Stoeger needs some adjustments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogtired Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 In a fit of snow doldrums I changed the drop plates on my shotgun. It does feel and look different now just need it to thaw a little to see if it helps. (Lord knows I need it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gliney00 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 another fantastic artical Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moltke Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Glad to hear of the progress but it took a week to get to the backyard?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Yup. I got all ambitious to adjust on a Sunday night, mon-fri I head to work in the dark and get home in the dark. I have been known to run out back and have my oldest son hold a flashlight for me when I want to test something out, but with the double digit negative temps at night I thought I'd spare him for the week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moltke Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Yikes!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Tischauser Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 (edited) Great story! This makes me want to adjust my stock even though I think it already fits me. Edited January 29, 2015 by Jesse Tischauser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 It is my mission kids...I love this game and the people who play it! I want everyone to have FUN and if you are shooting well, you're having more of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry weeks Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Bird hunting 30 years ago. Partner had birds down before my gun was up. Plus, my upper arm was getting beaten to death. Asked him the secret, he told me to have my gun fitted and gave me the phone number of a gentleman 70 miles from my house. I won't shoot a shotgun that hasn't been fitted to me, just a waste of time and ammo. My M2 has at least 2X more cast than the stock spacers allow and minimum drop and a pull length of 12-3/4" to match my 5' 1" height. Makes a huge difference. Pat is right, as always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 While fitting is very important, it is only usefully when standing in a fairly relaxed position, the minute you bend over, contort, shoot prone, under or around barricade, leaning one way or the other all bets are off! That is why it is critical to have some form if rear sight or index mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.E. Kelley Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I would say (I would imagine you would agree Kurt) that a poorly fitted gun is only made worst in off positions. While a properly fitted gun (for practical shooting) lessen that issue. I as you know am also an advocate for front and read sights on a shotgun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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