Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters How to measure LOP needed for hunting rifles

Well, I guess its your way or the hi-way. Always good talking to ya.

Funny I seem to have missed the part where I even gave "my way" let alone insisted anyone use it...

All I did was point out the fact the oft repeated knuckle measure is useless. Especially when there are several simplistic systems that have some value.

For what its worth, I prefer my rifles to by about 3/8" shorter LOP than my shotguns.

One simple way to measure is to extend you trigger side arm parellel to the ground, and bend at the elbow so that your index finger is pointing straight up.
Grasp your rifle with that hand at the PG and return to that position so that your trigger finger rests comfortable on the trigger.

You should have slight clearance between the butt of the rifle and your biceps tendon at your elbow. No clearance or unable to make a 90� angle means LOP too long. A gap more than 1/2" is probably too short unless you plan heavy clothes.

This has worked very well for me. Shotguns I like them to just touch the bicep and rifles 3/8" shorter.

14" to 14 1/4" for me.

I guess I'm one of those long stock aficionados that looks like Helen Keller when shooting offhand.

Well, better to look like her than shoot like her......

I don't remember who coined the rule of thumb, nor can I quote it exactly, but it was something like this:

Better to err on the short side for a rifle, and on the long side for a shotgun.

I am best suited with a rifle stock at about 13 1/2", though 13 1/4" also suits me just fine. I am somewhat cramped at 13 5/8", and 13 3/4" is positively too long (pistol grip rifle stock).

For a shotgun, with pistol grip and single trigger, I like 14 1/4" to just a tad over 14 3/4", depending on the length of the grip. On a straight gripped shotgun, with single trigger, 15" feels just right, and 15 1/4" is almost as good. With double triggers, 15 1/4" to 15 1/2" to the front trigger is best for me (straight grip). Your mileage may vary, but that catches it for me.

As a point of reference, I stand just a tad over 5'8", have a short neck and fairly wide square shoulders, wear a 34" sleeve on the dress shirt.

I prefer the method that your nose should be 1& 1/2=2" back from your thumb when grasping the neck of the stock in a shooting position.You adjust your scope to accomodate you,not the opposite.Shotgun stocks are usually a little longer than rifle stocks

I have long arms, according to formulas, elbow to trigger..............etc I should use a 14" LOP but I have a thick shoulder and no neck. I like a 13.25 to 13.375" LOP especially with winter clothes.

This is a good discussion. Skidrow's suggestion must be right, because it works for me (LOL). Not so well for knuckle draggers, I guess.

Even 1/4" of difference can be quite noticeable. I modify many of my guns by adding one of the different sizes of Pachmyer Decelerator pads, since I find most factory stocks a bit short for me. I don't cut the wood, and I save the original pad so the gun can be returned to original, if so desired.

One thing for sure, a stock that is 1/4" too short is much more comfortable than a stock that is 1/4" too long.

Another trick that makes a short stock more comfortable to use, is to just grasp the forend further out with your offside hand than you normally do.
It sounds silly, but it works.

That is the method I use - tip of the nose to base joint of the thumb. I guess however that it might give rise to some odd results if you are one of those people who drops their head forward to the comb, looking out under your eyebrows, rather than keeping it proudly upright and bringing the comb to it.

I should also say that I'd rather have a stock a mite short than too long. A stock too long tends to snag or at least slow me down when I mount the rifle or gun to the shoulder. I am a bit over 6' tall, but have long arms and a long neck, so factory stocks are all a bit short really, and I have happily shot with rifles like SMLEs, which have quite short LOP. I've even shot with the rifle I shortened for the kids, which has a 12" LOP. As long as there's nothing going to hit my face or eyebrow, and in the cased of scoped rifles as long as the scope can be put in a position where I'll have enough clearance and a full FOV, I'm not particularly bothered.

I think it is much more critical on a shotgun than a rifle though, and there I'm a bit more inclined to make adjustments.

Things do change over the years. I used to be a bit under 6', but now at 64 am just under 5'11". Weighed 150 out of high school, just about 200 now(it is coming down-ok?). The length of the forearm is well over 15 1/2", the arm pit to finger tip is over 32. Added to a long neck I should probably be using longer stocks, but get along pretty well at 13.75-14" especially with cold weather clothes on.