Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/728154
how much drop you require, and so can the pitch of the butt. If you change to a different type of shotgun, it may require a different set of dimensions. I often encounter this when changing from a side-by to an over/under or repeater. On the Lefever, I shortened the stock to 14½ inches, measured from the front trigger, and cut in six degrees of pitch. Then I gradually worked the comb down until the gun threw perfect 60/40 patterns. The final step was to send it off to have it bent for 1 /8-inch of cast at heel and ¼-inch at toe. The result is a gun that fits my wizened old body and shoots better than I do. I guess my point here is that if you shoot multiple guns, you have to be willing to work with them. Remember that they're a bit like women: they're all different and you have to be willing to pay attention. They can also be fickle and change on you. If you're willing to work on the relationship, you'll be a lot happier in the end. Of course, you could do something really radical and just have one gun. A 12 gauge with choke tubes will do anything a shotgun can do. Work with it until it's right and keep it. There is a reason for the saying, "Beware the man with one gun—he probably knows how to use it!" n I normally use a given set of proven dimensions as a starting point when setting up a new gun. And usually they'll be pretty close. Sometimes they'll even be just right, but not always. Then I have to start fooling around with the stock until I get the gun to pattern. Personally, I like for my guns to pattern about 60/40, which is to say that I want 60 percent of my pattern over the bead and 40 percent below. That holds no matter the type of game or target. You have to remember that hitting with a shotgun is all about consistency—doing it the same way every time. You can't do that if you are shooting different guns that are set up for different pattern placements. Some folks like a 50/50 or even 80/20. Some of my Italian friends like to float the target completely over the bead. That's okay if it fits your shooting style. Some instructors/fitters will recommend different pattern placement for different targets, such as 50/50 for quail and 80/20 for driven birds or sharp climbers like pheasants. I think that it's a mistake to change for different targets. Remember, consistency is the key to hitting. Train your mind to do it a certain way and do it consistently. The length of your stock can affect Bill McGuire, a member of Team Blaser USA, knows the importance of gun fit. Here, he's shooting a custom-grade Blaser F3 Super Sport. S P O R T I N G C L A S S I C S • 43