doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com LOP.............

What would you say is the normal length of pull? IE; what would you say is too short? I know that you are going to say, "whatever fits the person", but here is my problem: I am going to put a leather pad on a Model 21 that has had the stock cut. With the pad I am going to put on it, the LOP will be about 13 3/8. Will that make the stock look too short or should I put a 1/4" spacer in it? That will make it almost 13 3/4". It is serial number 93 and it is in really nice shape, so I want it to look nice. What do you guys think? Thanks for any advice.

Average LOP is about 14 1/4", 90% of the uncut British stocks that I measure equal that anyway.

Jimmy, it really is a question of what you can shoot. I have always sort of wanted a 21 heavy duck, but the short lop's have always been problematic for me. I personally would find 13 3/4 very hard to shoot comfortably, but I am not you. I would note anything not original under 14 will be harder move should you decide to part with it.

Jimmy, put in enough black spaces to get it at or near 14". It will still look nice and be more shootable for most folks. I think 14" was normal when it was built.

Are you going to shoot it? Put as many spacers as you need.

I think a wood extension looks better than an inch of shiny plastic.

I had not really planned on shooting it. If I did, 13 3/4" wouldn't be too much of a problem for me. The metal/bluing is in about 95+% and the barrels haven't been touched. (F& Mod) It has the old semi pistol grip stock, which is a little rough, but I really wanted to keep it original. I was afraid the 13 3/4" would look out of proportion even though it looks OK to me. I'll take some time and figure something out. Probably go ahead and put in a larger spacer. Thanks for the input, guys. You opinions are appreciated.

Now Wonko just adds/subtracts and grinds/bondos as needed to fit right then superglues nekked ladies over the mess. This seems only appropriate on a 21. On the other hand, once you get it perfect, have a new stock cut that way. A shotgun should be perfect.

I would say that most of the older guns I've had were about 14". Newer guns are most often 14-1/4". There's a good reason for that measurement. It fits most people just fine. More people I observe are shooting guns with stocks that are too long for them than too short, IMO. If your nose isn't getting bumped by your hand, it's not too short. Many of the people who claim they "need" 15" or more, are putting the stock way out on the shoulder muscle, way down on the pectoral or worse, out on the upper bicep. They don't need a stock that long. They need to learn how to mount the gun properly, which is inboard of the shoulder muscle, in the pocket that is formed when the elbow is raised properly, on the trigger arm.

Just one opinion but I think the thick black rubber(?) hollow donuts from Brownells sometimes look better than a wood extension particularly on a previously downsized American gun. I had a '36 Superposed $&$ which had a 1" think donut and a pad on top of that all perfectly faired in and finished. Offcuts of strange curly wood from the scrap box look like you were determined to use everything but the squeal. You might also note, Jimmy, that there is a tiny structural engineer in all of us which doesn't accept end grain butted to end grain. Course the Brits are the original Druids and they don't appear to notice.

jack