A topic that you’ll find varying views on as you start your shooting journey. So here’s a basic shotgun fitting guide that I hope steers you in the right direction.
You’ll find the old hands at your local clay shoot who’ll poo-poo focussing on gun fit. They’ll suggest you rather get a decent gun and fit yourself to it. You’ll get the other side of the fence who will advocate the opposite; find the gun that fits you best, whatever it may be.
In truth, the answer isn’t as simple or straightforward. It depends where you are on your shooting journey. That said; I’d suggest on leaning towards the latter; find a gun that fits. Now, I don’t mean the PERFECT fit, because this comes down to the “it depends” situation.
If you’re starting out, gun fit is important, but it’s not the most important. You need to have something that fits you RELATIVELY well, because if it doesn’t fit you at all, you’re going to battle to gain any form of consistency. However, it doesn’t have to be perfect.
If you’re a competitive shooter or looking to develop into an international/olympic shooter; gun fit becomes very important as it’s the small margins that make the difference at these levels.
This is a reason why you’ll always see me advocating on buying a shotgun with an adjustable stock/comb. This allows you to change not only the height of the comb, but also enables you to move it left to right.
So here’s a basic shotgun fitting video from Ben Husthwaite (world champ) that I found to be really clear and straightforward, plus he approaches things in a very systematic way, from the pad/length of pull, then moving forwards. Enjoy!
I find shooting very interesting. Wanted to start in the last few years, but didn`t get my bump up to do it… Also, it`s something that isn`t looked at in a positive way where I`m from. What was the first gun you shot with?
Hey Thimo,
Where are you based? I’m in the UK, and we have some of the strictest gun laws in the world, so it’s definitely possible. Shooting doesn’t always get cast in a good light, but that’s mainly by the uninformed people who immediately associate guns and war etc. – it’s a really great sport and teaches incredible discipline. The first gun I shot with was a Rizzini over and under shotgun, a very old one! I now shoot a Yildiz Pro Black, which is a great gun.
I hope you manage to start – find your nearest clay shooting ground and give them a call – the sport needs new people!
All the best,
Gazza