A Question on Length of Pull

L

littlehughey

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I've got a question for you great minds to ponder...

As I was perusing Ralf Martini's site and checking out all of his beautiful custom builds he has done for past clients, I noticed the vast majority have a length of pull of 14 inches to 15 inches. This is hard for me to wrap my head around. I'm 5' 10" and like to think I don't resemble a T-Rex and I'm comfortable in the 13.5 to 13.75 inch range with 14" on the manageable but uncomfortable side. Who are all these folks that need 14.5" length of pull?

Did their arms get stretched carrying briefcases full of money to be able to afford a Ralf Martini?

Are tall folks more likely to be wealthy?

Do rich folk get better nutrition and grow taller?

Jokes aside - what do you guys find to be comfortable and which factory rifles seem to fit you best?
 
For some of us, everything in this world was built too small. For short folks like yourself. I'm only 6'2" and I find most things in life were built for someone several inches shorter. It's all about perspective.
 
It really depends on your body position in relation to how you stand and point the rifle... some guys go across their chest considerably with the butt out close to their bicep... this make for a long pull. Others point more in front with the butt in closer to their chest... for a shorter pull... and then there are all the variations between.

Also a custom stock made for resale will be made long... it can always be shortened to fit... much more difficult to make it longer.
 
Many things effect LOP chief of which is height and chest size. Most factory stocks are made for 5'10 180 lb men, ie the average slightly fleshy white male age 50. Longer stocks can be shortened and also have th effect of minimizing felt recoil as the stock needs to be crawled to use the scope which stretches the shooter out and allows the body to absorb recoil like a cushion. Martini's rifles (and Hagn's) also have stocks that appear designed along dangerous game cartridges, so no pitch, longer stock, no cast, providing a direct un-canted push to the shoulder, minimizing felt recoil overall and improving control. Adding pitch, cast, toe out, shorter stock, all can contribute to sharper recoil in a heavy cartridge. For me, I don't crawl nor bend my neck when shooting, so require a steep pitch and steep drop. I find a longer stock far more comfortable as well. But a rifle designed for someone 5'4 like the Lee Enfield only has about an inch of butt on my shoulder. To fit me, except prone, I need 15 lop, 2.75 DOH from line of sight, 3 inch pitch to really fit.
 
When I do the stupid arm trigger finger measurement thing it always suggests that I need a 14 inch lop. I can deal with 14 inch but in reality the 13.5 always seems to fit me better. Monte carlo stocks usually throw me out whack.

I find the most comfortable for me is a longer stock with the scope a bit further back, but this feels wrong for some reason? I never had this issue till I started shooting scoped rifles.

I'm 5'11 and have a broad chest. I have a new theory that this is because of my chest and short neck?
 
At 6'3" I prefer 13.5-13.75". Important is cheek position not the angle of the arm I think. Also position of cheek weld I prefer in a relaxed position. I set up my rifle in such a way that if I go in position with closed eyes I have to take my head back about 3/4-1" to get focus on the scope. Going back in position seems to relax muscle tension and I shoot better. Also gives some reserves when shooting steep downhill.
edi
 
Long pull is right up my alley because I am 6' 6" tall and my arm span is almost 7'. So I guess I have what you would call a very long pull at 17". So I guess you won't be able to shoot any of my guns. LOL, yes some people are a little on the long pull side of things.
w:h:
 
conor_90 said:
When I do the stupid arm trigger finger measurement thing it always suggests that I need a 14 inch lop. I can deal with 14 inch but in reality the 13.5 always seems to fit me better. Monte carlo stocks usually throw me out whack.

I find the most comfortable for me is a longer stock with the scope a bit further back, but this feels wrong for some reason? I never had this issue till I started shooting scoped rifles.

I'm 5'11 and have a broad chest. I have a new theory that this is because of my chest and short neck?
Click to expand...

If you combine a short neck and broad shoulders with wider cheeks or cheekbones you'll have a situation where the monte carlo presses up to your face too soon, and which locates your face according to the shape of the comb -- a comb not designed for you. Consequently it'd feel really 'in the way'. The whole arm measurement thing doesn't really work because biceps and fingers aren't chests and necks. The way you use your scope (farther back) may be an effort to work around the high comb on the monte carlo. Or it could be an effort at balancing a rifle that's forend heavy (with bipod or whatever) or made forend heavy by screwing your head around the comb and forcing the forend down.
 
EJG said:
At 6'3" I prefer 13.5-13.75". Important is cheek position not the angle of the arm I think. Also position of cheek weld I prefer in a relaxed position. I set up my rifle in such a way that if I go in position with closed eyes I have to take my head back about 3/4-1" to get focus on the scope. Going back in position seems to relax muscle tension and I shoot better. Also gives some reserves when shooting steep downhill.
edi
Click to expand...

Is most of your shooting prone on a bipod?
 
My newest toy is a Sako grizzly with a 14.5” lop. Holds and balances well for me but with today’s short tubed scopes I find I’m stretching for sight picture. Kind of used to it from shooting Ruger #1’s but still....
And mines a short action.
 
I find the short scopes today make LOP difficult too .. if you have too crawl up on the stock too get a full view the stock either has too be shorter or the scope has too set back .. Or the scope needs a long eye relief... The scopes are so short they will not move back in the rings .. Off set mounts help a bit but not enough .. I am 5=7 and have short arms.. So I am a big Picatilly rail fan so I can get the scope back far enough
 
I'm 6' 1" and my normal LOP is 13 7/8-13 15/16". Heavy recoiling rifles (.40 +) are closer to 14" or a bit more. The big ones tend to be shot in shirt weather anyway. Getting hit in the nose with your own thumb isn't fun. Set triggers stretch out the LOP because the trigger is positioned further ahead in the guard. Very open grips can use a little more length because that style of grip naturally positions the hand farther back. Tighter grip curves and people who use the second joint of the trigger finger instead of the tip will be happier with a shorter LOP because it moves the hand forward. Higher Monte Carlo combs will shorten the LOP required because they hold the head up higher and back; very straight stocks need to be longer because you have to lay into it more to get on the stock. Heavy clothing can use a shorter stock.

When I look at Martini's site I see a lot of open grip, straight and low stocks in heavy recoiling cartridges and form that practically screams warm weather/ light clothing hunting. Couple that with people in the very normal six foot range and the LOPs seem quite reasonable.

To take a completely different tack; there is ample evidence that tall people make more money so you may be onto something. Google it and you'll find enough to keep you reading for a month.
 
im a little over the top of the average but not a giant either (unless6.5 is lol) is what can be said and i found for summer and fall that i need on ruger stock the one inch slip on pad. the zastava stock are perfect but not in the winter with extra layers ...
 
With a shotgun or iron sighted rifle I'm picky, 13.75" ish, although drop plays a part too. With a scoped rifle I'm far less picky LOP wise, cheek weld matters though.
 
To a large extent, Ralf's rifles are made with a relatively long length of pull because Ralf is fairly long! Seriously, the open grip places the hand a little further from the trigger and the lop is a bit longer to get the nose away from the thumb. In truth, rifles designed to be fired off-hand will always be somewhat differently configured than rifles meant to be fired prone or sitting.
 
Dogleg said:
Very open grips can use a little more length because that style of grip naturally positions the hand farther back. Tighter grip curves and people who use the second joint of the trigger finger instead of the tip will be happier with a shorter LOP because it moves the hand forward.
Click to expand...

I noticed this recently on a stock with a roll over comb and a slightly hooked pistol grip, LOP at 13.5 still seemed too long. Never could find a place on the cheekpiece where I could get a consistent cheek weld shot after shot.
 
6,4 lop on rifles is 14 ish on most

For rifles I wouldn’t get to crazy with LOP the scope eye relief plays a factor. This is of course is talking about a North American bolt action rifle or single shot assuming it would be shot off improvised rests, backpacks, tree branch, truck or what ever.

Take any rifle you have at home in the standing position shoulder the rifle at a level target then point the rifle at a 45 degree angle towards the floor and think about a longer lop.

Virtually no one stands unsupported shooting a rifle like a shotgun but not many think how a rifle will actually shot.
 
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