March/April 2009 - New Zealand Clay Target Association
March/April 2009 - New Zealand Clay Target Association
March/April 2009 - New Zealand Clay Target Association
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Gun alterations to improve<br />
Fit & Performance<br />
You finally found the model<br />
you want – nice wood and<br />
great promise of propelling<br />
you into B Class. Now what?<br />
This is a classic situation for those of<br />
us searching for the gun to benefit<br />
from our innate abilities and become<br />
an extension of our lightning-fast<br />
reflexes. But, after a round of skeet,<br />
trap or sporting, something is not right.<br />
The target that vaporized with your<br />
“old faithful” was still flying although<br />
the sight picture looked perfect.<br />
For most of us, even finding a shotgun<br />
that holds all that promise will not be<br />
a perfect fit right out of the box. While<br />
gunmakers have your best interest in<br />
mind, they cannot please everyone<br />
every time and, indeed, usually stop<br />
being innovative after the basic design<br />
because they are not “custom shops.”<br />
With the cutting-edge aftermarket<br />
abounding in the U.S., a “stock” shotgun<br />
is infinitely suited to become “bespoke”<br />
after a few additions or alterations.<br />
Think of a shotgun as a new suit off<br />
the rack, destined to be altered to fit<br />
you perfectly with a coordinated shirt,<br />
tie and shoes.<br />
Fitting<br />
If you approach gun ownership<br />
from that angle with a professional<br />
gunsmith who is well-versed in fitting<br />
shotguns and look for a shooting<br />
instructor who can help you determine<br />
ideal dimensions with a try gun for<br />
your build and shooting style, you<br />
www.shootersshop.com.au<br />
Australia’s<br />
largest online<br />
shooting<br />
accessories shop<br />
can own a “custom” gun. Once you<br />
and the instructor are happy with<br />
the point-of-impact and changes<br />
needed to the stock dimensions, take<br />
those instructions to a stockmaker or<br />
well-known stock-alteration pro and<br />
have the changes made.<br />
Do your own research beforehand<br />
so you are familiar with recoil pads,<br />
adjustable combs, recoil reducers and<br />
other possible additions. Notice who<br />
shoots what and why. Understand the<br />
changes to balance and weight that will<br />
occur. Know which recoil pad is best<br />
for you and how long it will last. Study<br />
the hydraulic systems available and<br />
adjustable combs. Can your gun be<br />
“bent” to dimension? Learn everything<br />
you can.<br />
The most common addition is recoil<br />
pads because they can be used to gain or<br />
lose length-of-pull. Remember to move<br />
your trigger to the position comfortable<br />
for your hand (if it’s adjustable) before<br />
altering the length! Great pads can be<br />
installed for between $100-$150 and<br />
are worth it. Don’t forget to have the<br />
edges rounded and heel clipped when<br />
it’s profiled for snag-free use. You may<br />
find the pad is a little sticky from the<br />
oil used to grind it down, but that will<br />
pass with exposure to sunlight (a little<br />
talcum powder can fix it for now).<br />
Stock Bending<br />
A process that used to be done with<br />
hot oil and high heat is now done<br />
with better and safer methods so<br />
no damage is done to the finishes of<br />
today’s shotguns. Briley and others use<br />
a “bending” process that is semi-secret,<br />
but it is very reliable and damage-free.<br />
There are limits to how much a stock<br />
will bend, and the really tough bend<br />
is up or down. That’s because of the<br />
way the grain is laid out. Cast-off for<br />
right-handed shooters and cast-on for<br />
lefties is an easier bend to get what<br />
you need. The drop at the face behind<br />
the comb nose is the position for the<br />
rear sight – your eye. This is more<br />
important than the drop at the heel.<br />
Generally, cast-off and drop,<br />
together, will either raise or lower the<br />
point-of-impact. You will notice it either<br />
SHORT FORCING CONE<br />
A 2½ degree forcing cone can soften the recoil<br />
sensation. Be sure to have the shop polish the<br />
internal surfaces after the cone is lengthened.<br />
CHAMBER<br />
CHAMBER<br />
as seeing flat down the rib for a 50/50<br />
pattern or some elevation on the rib,<br />
say 60/40+. Trap and skeet shooters<br />
generally like to float the bird, so they<br />
prefer to see some rib. In sporting<br />
clays, a game in which half the birds<br />
are dropping, 50/50 (flat) or just a little<br />
float is more appropriate.<br />
A common mistake when making<br />
stock alterations such as an adjustable<br />
comb is, when the comb is cut off<br />
and hardware installed, the stock<br />
dimensions have not actually been<br />
changed from the original, so the<br />
adjustments can only go up or<br />
side-to-side. If you want an adjustable<br />
comb installed, have at least _” material<br />
removed under the saw cut so you will<br />
have the ability to genuinely lower the<br />
comb as well. There are limitations,<br />
however, so always ask your gunsmith<br />
first.<br />
Mechanics<br />
BORE<br />
If you had the shotgun fitted and shot<br />
it for 90 days, you will likely have<br />
determined a bit more tweaking is in<br />
order to perfect it. The most popular<br />
changes in the U.S. are long forcing<br />
cones and barrel porting. A currently<br />
made competition-grade shotgun<br />
will likely have longer cones as it<br />
comes from the factory, so have your<br />
5º<br />
BORE<br />
2º 30’<br />
Gunshot 36
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