doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com O/U Guys....Got a Question

So I finally took the big step and bought my first ever O/U. I think I've owned somewhere near a metric ton of SxS's over the years, so it's really a new adventure for me. It's a pretty little F.A.I.R. Rizzini Model 400 in 28 gage, 28" barrels with screw-ins, straight hand with double triggers....originally imported by NEA. It presently has a too long 15 1/4" LOP to the front trigger and a little cast for a right hand shooter.

I'm a left handed shooter and I'll take care of that issue later. In the interest of just getting it shootable ASAP I thought I'd cut it to a manageable LOP now and add my favorite, a Silvers pad. The question is....Would the LOP on this new gun be the same 14 3/4" as I am used to on my SxS's or is there something different about O/U's in that regard? When I get ready for the bend, will there be any change in the cast specific to O/U's?

Thanks for the help.

I think I would bend before cutting. Then you will discover if 14 3/4 = 14 2/4.
Good luck.

Bob, you're fortunate to have found one of those with a straight stock and DT. Those were options on the FAIRs (as was solid vs vent rib), but most of them were SPG/SST/VR. I saw one a couple years back at Cabela's in Owatonna, like yours plus a solid rib. I was on my way up north, grouse hunting, figured I'd take a harder look on the way home. Should've pulled out the plastic then and there. It was gone a week later.

For me, o/u and sxs LOPs are the same. Granted, I have some flex in the LOP no matter the barrel arrangement. Also, more o/u's I encounter have single triggers than sxs's, but that's another story.

I had a professional fitting some years back, I used Keith Lupton.

The fitting included my measurements for both SxS & O/U,( he had two different try guns) they varied slightly and I believe LOP was different. I don't have my sheet readily available but I'll try to dig it out and report back.

Thanks for the reminder Rob. I had a fitting several years ago with Glenn Baker at Woodcock Hill but I think we just did SxS's. I'll give him a call and see what I can find out.

I have shot about 50 rounds thru it as is and I'm amazed at how unpleasant the recoiled of an ill fitting gun can be.

Larry, mine has a vented rib.....just wish it were solid. I picked it up a while back from a guy over on UJ.

given equal gun weight, fit, and load the o/u will have better recoil characteristcs when lower barrel is fired first. it just seems to kick less and that is one reason i like them better. not sure how much you can bend avg. o/u wood as most have bolt through the stock.

It doesn't matter. It would have been gone long ago anyway.

sv

Bob,
If your normal L.O.P. on a SxS is 14 3/4", you may find your comfort level with an O/U is the same or even a tad longer at 14 7/8" or even 15". Also, previous suggestion to bend the stock before making big cuts is a good one as L.O.P. will affect cast at face too. If that stock has cast-off PLUS twist out at toe, then you've got another issue to deal with, but assuming its pretty neutral you may never notice.

LOP is an area like pitch and how chokes work that is a magnet for bad opinions and mis-information. Some time ago I stuck one of those extendo kinda things on a trap gun to decide absolutely what the best LOP was for me. I went from about 13.5" where I was in danger of bashing my nose with my thumb, to just under 16 where it was becoming really strange trying to mount the gun. The Difference?? Nothing. Of course no other aspect of the gun fit changed, which was just fine, just the LOP.
Now, pragmatically, the best fit is long enough that you don't bash your nose. Why? Obviously that will accomdate the easiest gun mount and the greatest range of clothing. And more importantly it will bring the center of mass close to the rotational axis of your body and you will be able to turn faster. (don't bother, Rocketman, you know I think your MOI is crap for years now ;)). But short stocks look kinda funny tho, don't they? So cut it or leave it alone or whatever. It really doesn't make any difference in anything but how the gun mount feels. Of course that presumes that the gun fit is otherwise correct and that begs a lot since most shooters have NO clue how that works either.


The really important point here is to find something to obsess about that matters.

JMO of course, but that's just the way it is

WtS