Shotgun fit question

[shepherddogs]

I have a lot of shooting under my belt but have never understood this. I started as a kid with Dads Browning A5. I now have my own. I've tried shooting other shotguns but can't hit anything with them. The only other gun I could ever hit with was a Franchi with the square back like the Browning. If it has a sloped receiver I always shoot low. The Brownings are recoil operated and have a good kick. I'd like to get a gas operated gun that shoots a little softer but don't want to waste any more money on a gun I can't hit with. Is this a matter of fit or just in my head? Are there any gas guns similar to the A5?

[T. O'Heir]

The Remington 11-87 is gas operated. Shotgun fit has more to do with where your head naturally ends up so you can naturally have your eye lined up with whatever sight you're using.

[shepherddogs]

I've tried 1100s, 11-87s, 870s, Savage pumps, Winchesters, side by sides, Mossberg pumps. I shoot low with all of them. I guess the question is which gas operated shotgun has a similar fit and sight picture as the A5

[Slopemeno]

If you have a gun that you love the fit on, break out the yardstick and take some measurements. Length of pull, drop, etc all make a huge difference in how a gun fits someone.

Later, if you get a gun that doesn't fit you as well, figure out what's different. You can adjust the LOP by adding a recoil pad, or potentially go the other way by shortening the stock under the recoil pad, then recutting the pad to match the stock.

Shotgun fit makes a huge difference in snap-shooting.

[BigJimP]

Gun fit is pretty simple - with your cheek firmly on the comb / pointed at a pattern board - you line up a dot (make it big enough to see ), say at 21 yards, and pull the trigger, holding steady(and never taking your eye off the Dot), with that stationary dot just above the barrel. See where the point of impact is relative to the dot.

Do this 4 or 5 times. If the point of impact is low or high - you can probably adjust the gun - so it's point of impact is changed to where you are looking. If the gun's point of impact - is the same as where you look - the gun fits. If its not the same - the gun doesn't fit - and you have to change something.

The problem on an angled comb - is if you move up or back on the comb - and keep the comb hard to your cheek as you execute the shot - the point of impact changes with your cheek location on that angled comb. So if you shoot in a T shirt or 2 heavy coats - where your face fits on the comb changes - and point of impact changes ( so this gets a little tougher to do over different seasons). The gun may fit ok in winter for hunting pheasant, etc - but not fit very well in the summer shooting clays. You can go to a custom stock - or to a different gun - or maybe put a pad on the comb to level it out / a different recoil pad / etc. Some guns have shims to adjust comb / some don't.

But to find out if it fits - you have to go to a pattern board and shoot it. Guys that say they see the cloud of shot go downrange - are often mistaken, in my experience, assuming the shot cloud is where they see the Wad - and its usually not. Shotguns don't come in one size fits all - and not all shotgun mfgs use the same dimensions on their stocks. In my own case - I spent a lot of money on shotguns before I realized the only way to really fit me - was to go to a Browning with a paralell comb - where comb is paralell to the rib on the gun - and have an adjustable comb where I can raise it up to get my point of impact correct. No standard angled comb guns fit me - unless I get exactly on one spot on the comb ( so I had an outfit - a heavy shirt, a heavy fatigue sweater and a shooting vest - to make it fit ) but in the summer, at 90 degrees that isn't too practical ....

[VaFisher]

To answer your question it would seem it's mostly in your head being you are use to the squared receiver. There are a few gun's on the market today that offer a receiver that you may like, here are a couple of the nicer ones.
http://www.benelliusa.com/
http://www.franchiusa.com/