What to look for in a "good fit"?

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Hunterguy

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Hey all,

I'm pretty new to the world of firearms. I'm looking to start hunting and I read the stickied post going through calibres and firearms for my first rifle. From what I've read there and on other forums is to find a rifle that "fits you" before deciding much else.

I wanted to know what types of things I should be looking for when I hold a firearm before purchasing. What should I be looking for in the "fit" of the rifle?
A little more descriptive than 'it just feels good" please.

Thanks in advance!
 
How much do I have to "think" while operating a ker-pow.
May sound like a silly comment, but the BAR here makes me
think a bit much on using the action.
Click the clip, close the plate, pull back the charging handle.
Now to unload it...…..hmmmm.
 
When I buy new for hunting I first decide on which calibers I will be willing to use for the type of game I will be hunting. Many times the caliber you choose will dictate what type of rifle action you will have to pick from. Also the rifles weight should be considered if you walk lots or hunt mountainous areas you will likely want a lighter rifle. If you are recoil sensitive you might want a heavier rifle that absorbs more recoil. If you hunt wet rainy places you might want a stainless steel synthetic rifle that resists corrosion.

After I have a short list of calibers, and rifle actions and types of rifles I will be willing to use I then see how the rifles in my preferred choices shoulder while wearing the thickest/heaviest upper body clothes that I will be wearing during a cold hunt. I shoulder the rifle standing, sitting kneeling, etc to make sure it shoulders properly/smoothly from all positions.

Make sure that the rifle feels balanced when it is shouldered because in the field you might have to hold it in shooting position for a good while until the animal presents you with a good kill shot. Also after shouldering the rifle make sure your cheek welds comfortably to the rifles stock so you can see the rifles sights without having to adjust your head position very much or preferably not at all.

Length of pull, the measurement from the center of the trigger to the center of the recoil pad is very important for me as I have bought rifles with too long of a length of pull and when hunting in heavy warm clothing I could barely reach the trigger with my finger and when I adjusted my grip to reach the trigger comfortably I could then hardly see out of my rifle's scope.

Take your time and try as many different rifles as you can. I am sure you will get more good advice from other members in this thread. Good luck with your purchase.
 
You’re likely to get lots of different answers, but for me personally a good fit means being able to raise the firearm to my shoulder with my eyes closed, and when I open them my eye is naturally aligned with the scope/sights/barrel without having to make adjustments to where my eye is. This helps me with quicker target acquisition
 
It should feel comfortable in your shoulder, you should be able to easily reach and manipulate all the mechanisms (bolt, safety, trigger, magazine, etc.). It should point naturally when you bring it to your cheek. The old adage of "buy once cry once" absolutely applies in the world of firearms, and higher quality will almost always lead to a better fit and finish. Go to a store and hold a few different brands, and you will probably find certain things you like or dislike about them. When you know, you know!
 
Scopes mounted too high, little finger hanging off the bottom of the pistol grip, fumbling on the safety, improper length of pull, are all easy indications of bad fit. You'll know rifle that points and balances well when you shoulder it. Then use it for twenty years and it will be perfect.
 
Kamlooky pretty much nailed it - no "thinking involved". Whether jackrabbit or elk, look at target with both eyes on target, rifle comes up with little conscious effort and cross hairs are right there on what you are looking at. Safety comes off without reaching or fumbling. No fussing to adjust to see. No fussing to push away or pull back to get it "right" in your shoulder pocket. The comb is right there beside/against your cheek. More guns "fit" better after you've used more than 10 of them, and fired more than 1,000 rounds - i.e. there are some basic dimensions to match your height, reach and body structure, but shooting practice really does make it fit "better".
 
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The stock should be long enough to keep your thumb out of your nose when the rifle recoils. If it's too short, you seem to run out of room to run the bolt. Too long, and you have to reach for it. When you bring it to your shoulder the sights or scope should be naturally aligned with your eye. The grip should allow the tip of your trigger finger to fall naturally on the centre of the trigger, without adopting awkward hand positions. This is my biggest complaint about pre-'64 Winchester M70's; the curve of the grip is too tight. I find the grip on the old tang safety Ruger 77's too small as well; it needs to be another 1/2" to the rear for my hand, though it would fit smaller hands quite well.

The length is the easiest to change, but also the least important dimension. You can adapt to a fairly wide range of l.o.p., say +/- 1/2" from your ideal. Your body type will have a bearing as well. A long and lanky Jimmy Stewart type will need a much longer stock than a Schwarzenegger, even though they are the same height. You also have to consider clothing; if you're planning on hunting in cold weather, you'll need a shorter stock to allow for heavy clothes.
 
Besides what’s already been mentioned. Some rifles design will fit you better then others resulting in less punishment from recoil. About 15 years ago I had a Husqvarna in .308 win that didn’t work for me. The recoil was absolutely brutal. Half a doz shots would result in a bruised shoulder, my cheek would be smashed with every shot, the muzzle would jump excessively and I hated shooting it. In comparison my 6lb 15oz scoped .338 win mag Kimber Montana shooting 250’s is much more enjoyable even though it generates far more recoil. For me, the kimber design “fits” and they seem to soak up recoil which is why I’ve got several of them. There is more to recoil then just rifle weight and the fit is part of it.
 
Some good advice mentioned above already on weight, feel, length of pull, balance, sight alignment and recoil.
You need to try shouldering rifles from a variety of manufacturers, and you will start to get a feel of what "feels good" to you. We are all built differently, and this will help you.
The next step is to try to shoot some of those rifles that feel good to you. Try friends or family, or those of people willing to let you at the gun club. Some stores will let you try used rifles if you purchase the ammunition. Try those with classic stocks and monte carlo stocks, light rifles and heavier rifles, in the same caliber that you are interested in, if possible. This will give you an idea of what configuration is going to feel best to you when shooting. Do not just try off of the bench; try standing, sitting and kneeling positions as well. Felt recoil will be different from the other positions.

Remeber to use hearing protection. Using ear plugs and ear muffs will help reduce any inclination to "flinch" from the noise of the rifle. Also do not try too large a caliber to start off with. The average person's recoil tolerance level is a medium weight scoped rifle in 30-06 shooting 180 gr bullets. A 338 Win Mag will have significantly more recoil, and there are many who cannot handle this well. A 270 or 280, or a 7mm-08 or 308 are good choices to try out first, and less expensive ammo is easily found for testing rifles with.
 
Lots of good advice. I'll add something for you to consider if you are going to scope you're rifle. I feel this is pretty important to get right as we are all made somewhat different. Ideally scope as low as is comfortable for you and ensure the image comes into view as quick and natural as possible. Some of these things (eye box / relief etc) can be controlled in the optic itself and of course that is a whole other topic of conversation.
 
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