doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Thoughts on Gun Fit

But many could be Digweed if they forget about every thing but hit the target and correct if they miss. Fancy gadgets and special stocks fitted to the 1 /8 inch aint going to make you shoot better if you do stupid things.

Another thing regarding gun fit. I think the more one shoots and the more accomplished the shot, the more of a requirement proper gun fit becomes. An accomplished shot is going to notice a poorly fitting gun before a novice will and likely will not shoot as well as a result. This can be carried over to other fields as well. For example, in golf, if I, who am probably the world's worst golfer were to play with Tiger Woods expensive and well-balanced golf clubs, I doubt seriously if I could tell much difference, nor would my score be much different than had I played with the cheapest set of clubs that Walmart sells. But I bet Tiger sure as hell could tell the difference and I bet his score would show it too. Just a thought for what it's worth.

I agree, many could be Digweed, given the billions of people on this planet, there are many that will have the hand and eye coordination and reflexes to do what he can.

But, people with average motor skills will never rise to the level of Digweed, Steffy Graf, Phil Hill, Ted Willians, or other examples of extraordinary skills. That'd be me...the one with average reflexes and hand-eye coordination.

A well fit stock helps me a lot. If you can shoot anything from 1" of drop to 4" of drop without any loss of accuracy or consistancy, I envy you. I can't. I know what I need, you know what you need. Neither of us knows what each other needs.

Because I shoot low gun and stand straight with head not bent forward I find a gun with 3 to 3 1/4" of DAH fits correctly. I'm 6'4" tall and that may also have something to do with it. I believe gun fit is very important if you shoot gun down and want to be consistant. Having the same gun mount every time is just as important. I shoot seven different SxS's and have altered each one to have same dimensions. If the gun doesn't shoot to where you're looking how are you gonna hit anything ? Paul

I should have said, in my opinion if you're shooting with a pre- mounted gun then fit isn't real important - anyone can make their eye line up with the rib - like shooting a rifle. Paul

There's a story--maybe true--about Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle, going back to when they first played on the All Star team together. Both were supremely gifted "naturals". As a batter, Mantle had the advantage of being a great hitter from either side of the plate. Williams' advantage was that he was not only a gifted natural, but a serious student of the art of hitting. (I lived in DC when he managed the old Senators, and he turned a couple weak-hitting infielders into much better hitters.) It's also interesting to note--contrasting the two--that Williams' lifetime batting average was close to 50 points better than Mantle's, and that's with having lost the equivalent of about 4 seasons--in his prime--to military service.

Anyhow, the story goes that Williams asked Mantle a lot of questions about his batting technique--which Mantle hadn't really thought about in the same way Williams thought about those things. The result was, post-All Star game, Mantle went into a slump. Yogi Berra helped Mantle end it after a few games by telling him: "Mick, stop thinking. Just hit!" Likewise, it's possible to overthink shooting too--at least while you're doing it.

Some great shooters are more like Mantle, others more like Williams. But all are pretty much like one or the other. The rest of us, less gifted naturally, need all the advantages we can get.

[quote=L. Brown]There's a story--maybe true--about Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle, going back to when they first played on the All Star team together. Both were supremely gifted "naturals". As a batter, Mantle had the advantage of being a great hitter from either side of the plate. Williams' advantage was that he was not only a gifted natural, but a serious student of the art of hitting. (I lived in DC when he managed the old Senators, and he turned a couple weak-hitting infielders into much better hitters.) It's also interesting to note--contrasting the two--that Williams' lifetime batting average was close to 50 points better than Mantle's, and that's with having lost the equivalent of about 4 seasons--in his prime--to military service.

Anyhow, the story goes that Williams asked Mantle a lot of questions about his batting technique--which Mantle hadn't really thought about in the same way Williams thought about those things. The result was, post-All Star game, Mantle went into a slump. Yogi Berra helped Mantle end it after a few games by telling him: "Mick, stop thinking. Just hit!" Likewise, it's possible to overthink shooting too--at least while you're doing it.

Some great shooters are more like Mantle, others more like Williams. But all are pretty much like one or the other. The rest of us, less gifted naturally, need all the advantages we can get. [/quoteI'll betcha old Ted Williams- Ace USMC fighter pilot in WW11- along with Joe Foss- must have read Havilah Babcock's "Slim Boggins' Mistake"--and I can picture ol' Slim's 20 gauge pumpgun- a early Model 1912 20 with a 25" barrel, half the choke bored outta her-no blue or varnish left on the field grade stock-and when with the action slide locked shut tight, you tipped her muzzle toward the sky and hit the release button (LH rear of the trigger guard) the slide dropped like ol Bessie Smith's legendary Fat Daddy sittin' down in a tub of warmed up honey--0h yeah!!

From Ted Williams in his book, "The Science of Hitting':

"If you don't think too good, don't think too much."

Seems like Yogi knew that intuitively.

Orvis Wing-Shooting Handbook by Bruce Bowlen
"Before you decide you need more choke, larger shot, or a new gun, determine if you are pointing your present gun in the right direction."

Ten points to consider .
1, You can not fit a gun for a man who can not shoot [novice].
2, Some people will never be able to shoot well no matter what is done to the stock.
3, You can not fit a gun to a man who will not listen.
4, Physical problems ,as well as physique
biuld ,hight ,weight ,size of limbs/hands etc.
5, Physcalogical problems ,
6, The wrong gun.
7, You will need lessons.
8, Getting past ingrained habits /past incorrect coaching.
9, 50% of problems are related to stance and mount .
10,What can actualy be done to the gun in way of altering the stock .

This is part of some musings I am currently compiling for a future publication .Each of these points is explained and discussed .