Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles length of pull

hey guys, was wondering what the deal is with length of pull. Is each individuals ideal length of pull simply what feels the best or should it position the rifle a certain way or what. This question sounds stupid i think maybe you guys can enlighten me on the subject anyway. thanks

i believe there is a "factory standard" lop, but it might be either too short or too long for some or many folks. i have 3 centerfire rifles and they all have a different lop. go figure!

I was told by my gunsmith twenty years ago that the measurement was complex, and he had a device that was made by brownells(I think)rather than do the measurement of forearm and upper arm and do calculations. It was a device thet was used to grasp in the same manner as a stock and was adjusted to proper grip, angle, eye alignment etc, locked by wing nuts. Measurements were then taken for stock to be cut to. I had two fittings on the actual stock for fine adjustment. There are probably finer, less complicated methods of measurement, but my custom stock still fits e ike a glove more than twenty years after being completed.
Randy

Caveat:LOP with hunting clothing tends to be a mite different than what is measured when you are in a nice warm shop.

LOP is probably the easiest measure a stock maker will take. Grasp the fire arm with your trigger hand and place ones finger on the trigger as if firing the rifle. Lay the stock along ones forearm with a 90 degree angle formed at the elbow. If LOP is proper, the buttplate should just be touching the point where ones bicep hooks into the elbow. I.e. trigger finger and forearm length. One can use recoil pads to rectify things if too short. If too long, a saw needs to come out.

Cast off/in and toe measures are a little more complicated and best done with a tweakable stock.

Maybe, maybe not...

Yup! My 30-06 has a LOP of 13 1/4" and is just right for me in cold weather. The more clothes you have on with a LOP that's too long, the harder it is to mount a long arm properly.

"The deal" as you put it is this. Proper stock fit means you do a better job of shooting. Whether controlling flinch, managing recoil or "it just feels right", LOP is the prime determinant in having a "cheek weld" where you can keep your eyes / head in the same place until the rifle is finished recoiling. By doing that you stand a better chance of hitting where you are aiming when you decide to pull the trigger. I guess you could say LOP and trigger control are "the deal", but the idea is accurate shooting.

I have been kicking the Length of pull question for quite some time now.
Like others have mentioned, one factor is stock fit. But I have come to the conclusion, that it also must include the scope being used.. I have many stocks that fit me well, and feel good till I look into the scope, and find I need shorter stock to get the proper eye relief for my package to work correctly in different shooting positions, and different weather conditions as well (clothing).
I guess one could use some exotic mounts to move things around, but I find my self-using the KISS method. This is why I am starting to think shorter stocks may work for more situations.

Just my thoughts dumped into the pot..

Bingo!! I find the same thing happening to me. My arm likes a 13.5" LOP, but even if I have the scope mounted toward the rear as far as possible, I still have to strain my head and neck forward, breaking a good cheek weld, to get a clear picture through the scope when it's on the higher power settings. There was an excellent thread somewhere on this site that discussed questions concerning proper LOP.

+1 Mauserkid
If you cut the stock for comfort and ease of operation without regard for the sights you may well find that you can't properly see through the scope when it's mounted.Back in Jack and Elmers day that was'nt much of a problem as most scopes had short eye pieces and could be mounted fairly far forward to keep the scope out of your forehead.Most modern scopes have eyepieces that are quite long by comparison ,that plus 3.5" of eye relief mean that many people need a longer stock to get comfortable behind their scope.I just buy fixed power Leupys and Nikons and slide em forward.

Or just build the stock for proper fitment and LOP, and then instead of modifying the shooter and rifle to fit the scope, get the necessary scope (with appropriate ER) and mounting system so that the scope works with the rifle and shooter.

That's what I did with my 30-06. I checked ER and mounting length of several scopes and then decided on which scope to buy. I wanted a Leupold 4X. It would fit between the rings but I'd have to lean into the scope to get on it. I got a VX-II 3x9x40. The Leupold fixed 6X scopes would work for me too. I have had a stock LOP shortened to use a scope before. Getting a scope that fits the rig properly is better IMHO.

The old adage that a shotgun stock is better too long than too short, and a rifle better to short than too long is good advice.

I have found that I can manage a stock that is 13 3/4", but 13 5/8" to 13 1/2" is much better. I'd far rather my stock be 13 1/4" than 13 3/4". And FWIW, my straight grip stock double shotgun w/ double triggers is perfect w/ a lop of 15 1/4"(to front trigger); a single trigger pistol grip shotgun is right for me at 14 1/2".

The older Weatherby rifles had fairly short lop's, mine is 13 3/8"...feels great. So long as you're not banging your nose with your thumb, lop is not too short, IMO. Scope position/mounting difficulties should not be solved by adjusting lop - get mounts that work to fix that.

Sometimes, you have to use what you have.
Purchasing a scope to fit may not be a financial option.

Most of us (me included) simply make do with what comes off the shelf in our early lives. Lately though, I took to turning out wood for my own implements, and it't truly wonderful to pick a point, close ones eyes, bring the rifle to bear, and find it pointed to within inches of the intended target when the eyes are opened.

LOP is only one of about 5 dimensions one should consider when he wants a well fitted firearm.