Have any of you shooting a Beretta tried shooting it with shims removed? I know I can’t set the stock to be perfect for me, but after adjustments, I’m either high or low on the stock. I’m hoping that if I can eliminate shims entirely, I can improve fit.
Thanks,

Bob

I’m curious as to what the issue might be. I have a Beretta 391 duck gun and a Benelli 828u sporting clays gun, both with the shim system and was able to get both guns working well. There are about 40 different combinations of cast and drop in very small increments. Do you have a complete shim set?

Cra:

Thanks for the response. I have the set, but It’s become a trial and error game, and I’m getting weary of playing. One of my sons is an engineer and much more patient than I. I’ll get with him this week and very likely get it right.

Bob

This sounds like the voice of experience. If shim adjustments have you shooting either high or low, the there should be a combination that will get you there. It may also be a problem with your gun mount. FWIW, I almost always have to add length to the stock to bring my cheek far enough down on the comb. Usually a thicker recoil pad does the trick. After shooting a bunch of guns over the years, I can pretty well tell what stock dimensions work for me. Good shooting.

Thanks.

Trial, error, and patience will be employed.

Bob

Patience is huge. It can be confusing. I’m assuming you have the owner’s manual with the chart showing the degree of change each shim makes?

are you adjusting it by feel only? or by feel and a pattern board?

Cra:

Mostly by sight, but I’ll get on the patterning board this week. Oddly enough, I shot s terrific round of skeet today with the stock as is, so I’ll try again tomorrow and see if the improvement remains.

Thanks for the responses.

Bob

Field and Sporting A400s have two plastic shims and big metal oval washers that the stock bolt goes thru that are marked 50 and 65, and the other 55 and 60, which is the drop at heel of the stock in mm. 50mm is about 2" or fairly straight and 65mm is about 2-9/16" drop...a fair bit. 55mm is about 2-3/16" and 55 mm is about 2-3/8" which is where my new A400s have come set from the factory for a right handed shooter. They also are marked for cast-off or on (right or left hand shooter). Simply by changing shims or their orientation along with the washers or their orientation (both need to match or you can split the stock) you can fit the stock to most people.

Google Beretta stock shims and you'll find some videos on setting them as well as removing a Kickoff to get the shims if applicable. Good luck with it and good shooting!

There are four height positions. 50, 55, 60 and 65. They can be “flipped” over for left or right hand configuration. This would make a total of eight different combinations. I do remember seeing some additional after market shims for the 391.
Kurt did a better job explaining the height data.

Kurt:

Best explanation yet. Thanks very much.

Bob

I had to go back and look because it's been about 20 years ago I set up my 391, the Benelli 828 sporting clays gun just recently. The 391 has fewer combinations possible, as Kurt described. The Benelli actually does have 40 combinations of drop and cast available. In any case, it's a nice system and works well, but you do have to kind of think your way through it as you go. The chart in the Benelli users manual has so many combinations available that I had to circle the one I thought I should start with, assemble everything slowly, step by step and double checking, then try it. Fortunately, I got it right first try. Be nice if it were that easy to fit any shotgun.

Thanks again.

B