How many of you actually shim and fit your guns to yourself?

[Antleraddict62]

We often buy these nice shotguns that we dream of owning, they come with these shim kits how many of us have bought these guns got them home pull them out of the box and just assume that they are good to go and they they fit us properly? I am guilty of it as well I just recently bought myself a Benelli M2 20 gauge and it came with a shim kit and after doing some research, there is so much more into fitting a shotgun to yourself than I had imagined I have shot weapons my entire life and after being an infantryman in the military for 10+ years I have shot rifles and shotguns my entire life and I know all about proper side alignment cheek weld in sight picture but I haven't really thought much about a scatter gun. Boy was I wrong LOL I think this contributes to probably 90% of why so many people complain about shotgun accuracy and patterning a shotgun ineffectively am I wrong?


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[Upfold99]

I had a gun that shot bad low. I put the shims in it from the factory and got it shooting right. However, you could see the entire rib on the barrel running up hill. It looked odd when shouldered. I missed a few with the gun setup that way, as you had to be mindful not to bury your head in the stock so everything looked parallel.

Since it felt awkward, I had it drilled and tapped. Best thing I ever did to that gun.

[sasquatch1]

Shims ONLY help quick alignment for wing shooting

If you get your head down right and rifle shoot it in a sense, steady aiming shot like you would with a scope taking time to line the bead up properly or what not a shim will change NOTHING


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[jrinny]

I shim my turkey guns ...to help with recoil. Cast- off and dropping the comb will push the stock down and away from a right handed shooters face during recoil.

[Spurs Up]

Shims ONLY help quick alignment for wing shooting

If you get your head down right and rifle shoot it in a sense, steady aiming shot like you would with a scope taking time to line the bead up properly or what not a shim will change NOTHING


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[dzsmith]

standard length of pull has always worked for me and im not a big person. I believe that's about 13.5" I could be wrong. No shims, nothing special. As others have mentioned though. I put my face on the stock and aim correctly. I don't think length of pull will change much for an individual who has a proper shooting practice. Ive never changed LOP on any firearm ive owned. Even on my adjustable stock AR15...I run it with the stock full out, always have...even in my military days.

[mudhen]

Shims are just another part of the equation...

I've been using factory shims and handmade shims for over 30 years...

Shims + bead work can help PoA meet PoI...

But sure, if you don't do the work, shims are not magic...

[eggshell]

I have only purchased 6 guns in my life. When I want a gun I handle all the prospects and if they don't feel good I don't buy. For years I had a dear friend that was a master stock fitter and restorer. He refitted the old masters like Parkers, smith, ithaca, etc. and done repairs. He built me one custom turkey gun from parts and everything was custom fit. I missed just as many turkeys with that gun as an off the shelf gun. Whoever said it mostly about how you execute the shot was right. I always felt funny carrying a gun turkey hunting that had a 13 line burl walnut stock on it, seemed way over class LOL. I would just pull a piece of panty hose over that shiny stock. I gave that gun to a youth who wanted to start hunting and told him to keep it until he could pass it along, but he could never sell it. That was 20 years ago and I saw him a while back and he told me he still had it.