When I first began shooting competitive sporting I set about modifying my old 30" 1100 Rem. for the job. Realizing I needed to improve the fit I installed an adjustable butt plate and pad, then set about getting the drop right. I did this by pattern testing from low gun, knowing that if I ever got that right I could shoot it fine pre-mounted. I added cardboard "cheekpieces" until all was right. Then, a few months later I went for a gunfitting. After all was said and done he wrote my needed measurements on a slip of paper to bring home. When I got home I measured my gun against what he said I needed and found that I was within about 1/16" on all the dimensions.
What does this tell me? That he did a good job with the fitting, but also that anyone can do it themselves if they are diligent, do some research, and don't quit until they know it's right, by shooting a pattern plate.
Frankly, I am much less concerned with pitch than with DAH, less concerned with DAH than with DAC, less concerned with DAC than LOP, and less concerned with LOP than cast. Horribly wrong pitch can be really bad, but I haven't encountered that many guns that have a really radical pitch. Also, too little drop is much worse than too much. Too little and the the gun whacks my cheek really bad, even worse than with the pitch being off.
I don't believe gun fit is more important on a S x S than an O/U. I can shoot many of my S x S guns pretty decently, and have never altered the pitch on a gun, but I DO try to get the LOP right for me. If the cast is not right I don't even buy it in the first place. I know some can be bent, but there are too many fish in the sea. JMO.
SRH
