Interesting point about shotgun fit....

[1963beretta]

There are lots of threads about shotgun fit and even more threads about "recommending a shotgun" which inevitably leads to discussion about fit.

I start this thread because I have discovered something that I always understood but never experienced personally. Last night, I decided to shoulder my trap gun that I hadnt used in a very long time. This particular shotgun has an adjustable comb, which was adjusted to fit me like a glove. Long story short, I've recently lost a lot of weight and my slimmer cheek no longer sat on the comb as it did. In fact, my eyes were looking so far off center, that Im sure I would have struggled to hit a clay had I been shooting. The amount of adjustment required to correct to proper fit was astounding! Its often said discussed that fit can change depending on the amount of clothing you're wearing....which is obvious. But an often overlooked aspect of shotgun fit is your weight.

If you have had an big change in weight, up or down, have a look at your shotguns to see how they fit after the change. You will be amazed at how differently a gun can fit if your weight changes

 

[canvasback]

Better pick up the pace in the eating department. Re-fitting all your shotguns could get expensive!

 

[Claybuster]

Lose or gain a lot of weight and your clothes don't fit as well either. The important word is a "lot." Small changes don't create a huge difference in fit.

How much weight did you lose as a percentage of your overall body weight?

 

[1963beretta]

I lost about 20lbs over time...but likely closer to 12lbs since last played around with the gun when fit was perfect. So basically a reduction in about 7% of my body weight was enough to impact the fit of the gun.

 

[1963beretta]

Better pick up the pace in the eating department. Re-fitting all your shotguns could get expensive!

Good point! Maybe I should revisit guns I previously wrote off because they didnt fit.

The cast of the stock is where I noticed the change. There was no change required to the drop or LOP of the stock. So in a nutshell, the chubbier my cheek was, the further it pushed my eyes off the center line so I had the comb adjust with some cast off. Now with a thinner cheek, the gun shouldered off center in the opposite direction.

 

[Claybuster]

I lost about 20lbs over time...but likely closer to 12lbs since last played around with the gun when fit was perfect. So basically a reduction in about 7% of my body weight was enough to impact the fit of the gun.

Thanks. If a change is sufficient that you notice your clothes are a lot looser then you definitely will have a difference on your shotgun fit. For people whose weight fluctuates adjustable stocks are very handy things to have. You might notice a change in the drop too.

 

[1963beretta]

Drop and LOP is still bang on....cast was way off. And yes, having the ability to adjust was very handy indeed

 

[Beretta687EELL]

Interesting ... I lost 75 lbs. and have since gained some of it back and bounce up and down 10 lbs. and I haven't noticed anything different. Perhaps the difference is that I shoot my gun every week and didn't have a layoff.

 

[Claybuster]

Interesting ... I lost 75 lbs. and have since gained some of it back and bounce up and down 10 lbs. and I haven't noticed anything different. Perhaps the difference is that I shoot my gun every week and didn't have a layoff.

Is it possible you've been subconsciously adapting your gun hold to compensate for the changes in weight?

 

[1963beretta]

Interesting ... I lost 75 lbs. and have since gained some of it back and bounce up and down 10 lbs. and I haven't noticed anything different. Perhaps the difference is that I shoot my gun every week and didn't have a layoff.

Have the dimensions of your face changed at all? Thats what did it for me...less cheek meat on the stock

 

[Beretta687EELL]

Good questions ...
I may have just adapted somewhat. Yes, my face is thinner. My stock is custom made for me. There is a lot of cast off and toe out and it is a rollover stock. I recall asking the stockmaker, at that time, if a weight loss would affect the fit and he indicated that the changes would be minimal. The only adjustments that I have ever made to the stock is to raise and lower the comb.

I certainly don't doubt your theory, I tend to agree with it. Perhaps, I'm just the exception to the rule. I am a big proponent of good gun fit.

 

[1963beretta]

Interesting. I've heard in the past that a change in 10% of your weight could have an impact on gun fit but never really paid attention to it. I have grown out of shotguns in the past, but it was a very slow progression. Maybe had i shot the gun every weekend, it wouldnt have been so noticeable. But when I put that gun on my shoulder after all this time and looked down the barrel, I could have sworn I picked up the wrong gun.

 

[reddog]

Really makes sense if you consider the small amount of change in comb can shift the POI soo much.All my trap guns now have adjustable combs and have been really astonished with how little changes can make quite a differance
,my .02 worth

 

[Bland]

Not weight loss but a similar situation occurred when I had my shoulder replaced. It has been three years and things are slowly coming around. I do not shoot trap etc except to get ready for hunting season. Well I could not hit the proverbial broad side of a barn door the first season, always shooting high. I blew my shoulder up in 1975 so had become quite used to shooting with my shoulder in a compromised position. Pretty frustrating until I figured out where my problem lay.