doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Get a shotgun fitted?

Happy Holidays to everyone.

I am at a point in my life that I have kind of decided that I would like to either have a pair of my doubles fitted a 20 and 12,or have a gun fitted and built. I am not wealthy so cost does need to be considered, but I understand it's going to cost a few bucks. I currently regularly shoot, an LC Smith light weight 12,
an LC Smith 00 12. Two Berettas GR3 a 20 and 12, and for mud and muck my Stevens 311 that I bought 40 years ago. Any thoughts about gun fitting existing guns vs a new one would be helpful. I shoot the guns mentioned pretty well as they are. But well you know how it is.

By all means experiment on a used gun before ordering a custom gun. There are good techniques for adjusting an existing gun within some reasonable limits and reasonable costs. Read Michael Yardley's book "Gunfitting" before going further. Your Stevens 311 is a perfect, low-cost test bed. The biggest cost of a fitting is likely to be transportation to and from the fitting site. give us a clue as to your location and we may be able to recommend a local fitter.

DDA

I had a fitting 10+ years ago, it cost me about $250 then but was well worth it. I got dimensions for both SxS and O/U, they are slightly different. Once you get your numbers from a fitting you can start looking for a gun, you may get lucky and find a gun you like that's very close to what you and the fitter determine is best for you. Find an old beater butt stock for your 311, buy some Bondo and modify the stock to fit you, see if you shoot better over time. You can also adjust for point of balance.

In my limited experience stock bending can take a gun that's in the ballpark of your measurements (determined by having a gunfitting session) and make it closer. Sometimes the wood bends back, sometimes it doesn't. You can adjust length by removing wood or adding a pad.


You can drop $5000+ on a new gun and and still have to accept factory "standard" dimensions.

I think the best bang for your buck is to take your favorite gun in use now, perhaps one of your Elsies, and have it restocked to fit you. You'll never recoup the expense but it will be your "bespoke" gun and (assuming the stocker does his job) fit you. You'll get correct LOP, DAC, DAH, cas and balance can be adjusted.

And you get to pick wood you like....

I would suggest starting with finding a good fitter near you and get your optimal dimensions figured out. You can then evaluate your current guns for the amount and feasibility of alterations needed. A place like Cole's can get you a custom stocked Beretta for a fairly reasonable price.

Another option for adjusting your current guns would be a butt transplant rather than a full restocking. I am doing that with a sidelock where the cost of restocking is not worth the investment. A butt transplant will cost me 25% the cost of a full restocking.

Merry Christmas to all!

9 years ago I had my two favorite bird guns fitted and I'm happy that I did.

Pay to get them fitted. You live once. Let the next fellow worry about fit.

I am located in central Wisconsin. Any help finding someone would be greatly appreciated.

Just ordered Yardley's book, thanks for the tip.

I have had three guns fitted - and it doesn't need to be all that expensive. There are several things you have to consider;

1. Do you have a present gun/guns that can be adapted?
2. Are you happy with extension pads (e.g. ebonite/walnut extensions)
3. Have you found a good fitter you can work with (and it is a partnership).

On the first point, a gun with adequate length and no internal stock bolt is ideal. A gun that is already a bit short and/or has an internal steel bolt is harder - but may be possible.

On the second point, IF you need a gun longer - and you are insistent on having one piece walnut, they it will be expensive - however, a leather covered pad, a Silvers pad - or even ebonite are all alternatives.

On the third point, you need to be mounting the gun consistently and have a consistent style. You then work with the gun fitter, very possibly using a 'try gun' to get the dimensions you need to make the gun just drop naturally into place. Its not rocket science, but it does need both consistency from you - and a skilled fitter who can see when you are mounting 'naturally' and when you are making unconsciously adjustments for the fit of the gun as it is in your hands at that instant. That is why a 'try gun' is useful.
There are three books, Mike Yardley, Rollin Oswald and Arthur Hearn all of which give good information, but none will actually enable you to 'fit yourself'.

When you do get a gun right, you will wonder how you ever managed without it!

Just a word of caution about having your LC Smith's fitted. As often as not, LC Smiths have cracked stocks, or will have. It shows itself as a tiny crack just behind the lock. Beneath the lock, that crack almost invariably extends to the head of the frame where it commonly initiates. Bending a cracked LC is asking for trouble.