DRIVEN
SHOOTING

Instruction & Fit continued

Which brings us to the next issue: once your gun mount is consistent, it is imperative to have the gun fit to your physical requirements & style. This does not necessarily mean a bespoke shotgun. Certainly small adjustments can be made by bending or shaving the stock. Pitch and length of pull can easily be adjusted by adding a recoil pad. Point of balance can be altered by adding or removing weight to the butt stock. You get my point.

Not all gun fitters are created equal. An individual may only be a fair shooting instructor, (failure to communicate), but a first rate fitter. Similarly, someone could be a great instructor and only a mediocre fitter. Ask friends, ask top shots, and do not simply go by the reputation of the shooting ground or by the man's ability as an instructor.

There are many nuances of fit, and of gun design which will have a profound effect on your shooting. For example, point of impact. Do both barrels shoot to the same point? (If I were creating a new box pigeon gun, in an ideal world, I would have the first barrel shooting 60-80% high, and the second dead on. This can be achieved.) Does the gun shoot where you look? Shape of ribs and height are important. Sometimes, especially on over unders, changing the rib can make sense. Comb shape and thickness will have a profound influence on nominal cast. Cast is measured from a center line. Unfortunately, this does not take into account the thickness of the wood at the comb. Most over unders are quite thick. Thick combs can be thinned. Make sure that your fitter makes allowances for your particular gun.

This is also good time to determine if you like the shape of your grip. If not, a pistol grip can be turned a good deal of the time into a semi pistol grip. Occasionally, a grip can be straightened out completely. Also, this is the time to consider fore-end work. If you don't like the Schnabel fore-end tip, for example, it can be removed. A thick fore-end can be slimmed down.

If you are having a gun reworked, it would make a lot of sense to shoot it a bit after the alterations have been completed, but before it is refinished. That way, trial by fire, you can determine if it needs any additional work.

Too often, we accept the limitations of ourselves or of our tools. We can all improve through instruction and intelligent practice. We can also improve our performance and enjoyment by using shotguns where their design reflects our personal needs and preferences.

Designing the Perfect Shotgun:
Part 1 - Over Unders

My quest for the perfect gun revolves around two issues of equal value. The first is handling. The gun must be alive and move both quickly and accurately. (Many guns, especially light guns, do not track well.) The second consideration is reliability. If the gun does not work, most often a flaw of the trigger design, nothing else really matters

I cannot fathom spending a 150,000+ quid on a new pair of London Best over unders. On the other hand, I cannot handle the sloppy workmanship, especially in final finish, that too often accompanies guns from Italy or Spain. My solution would be to buy guns in the white there, and have them finished by some outstanding craftsman that I know in England.