Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Length of Pull

With all the talk on custom rifles, re-building, re-stocking, re-barreling. Which stock, which part, whats best. Gunsmith, or do-it-yourself. Leupold, Smidt $ Bender, Swarvski (throw away those Burris's) Classified Ads, great rifle as new only 20 rounds through it. 10 rounds in half an inch at 100 yards. But nobody talks about length of pull. My first rifle after getting out of the service in 1973, first thing I realized was that 13 1/2" is way too short. Now re-stocking my 300 Weatherby. First thing said on ordering my stock was can you do it in 14 1/2" length of pull. Seems to me this topic would come up a lot more often.

Phil

I agree. I can shoot 13.5" well but 13.25" seems to fit better. More than 13.5" starts to get uncomfortable or not as natural.

Phil
That extra inch is a lot for a starting point. The standard is to add or subtract 1/8" for every inch you are away from 5'8", starting at 13 1/2". That would put me, at 6'4", looking at 14 1/2" as a starting point. But I have narrow, very square shoulders and actually need a stock only about 13 3/4" depending upon application.

Also, cast will affect the apparent length of a stock and change your LOP as a result. Cast-off decreases LOP while cast-on increases it. Drop will also affect LOP needs...
art

I have never heard that formula before. All I know is it takes the addition of a thick recoil pad to make a stock fit me. I like 14 1/2 inch length of pull and I am only 5' 11" . But, I usually shoot in warm weather and don't have on thick layers of clothing.

Art, length of pull is about the only option available on a fibreglass stock. Couldn't afford a custom wood stock if I wanted right now. Though I sure would have loved to have gotten one of those laminated walnut stocks from Artistry in Wood. But what I wound up with is one of Bell & Carlson's Primere Thumbhole stocks, with Camo paint and 14 1/2" pull. It's pretty much an inline stock, drop at heel is less than 1", drop at comb is approx. 1/4". Cast-off, dont believe you can call the slight cheekpiece cast off, but it does supply a slight cant to it. Making it quite a bit more comfortable than the factory stock. As is 14 1/2" is perfect, also made sure of measurement before ordering. When completed (putting my M70 classic stainless in 300 weatherby in it) I will need to use high/tall rings to mount my 3-12x50 Swarvorski, if I still go this route, I will probably need to raise the comb maybe 1/2" with leather. Lately I've been thinking of just going with a Leupold 2.5-8x36 on it. In this case its perfect the way it is. The stock came standard with a 1" Pachmayr butt pad. The camo cost $29.50, and the extra length of pull another $34. Total I believe was $267, I know its not a McMillian, but it didn't cost as much either. Just didn't realize the amount of material needing to be removed to fit that Williams bottom metal. Stock is ready for bedding now, but thought I better have a little extra steel bed on hand just in case.

Phil

It's not just the length of pull. The "pull" to the pistol grip is even more sensitive to me. Compare a gun with two triggers and you will see what I mean. We have more flexiblity in our arms than our fingers.

I like a 13.25 LOP and I am 6' with a 74" reach. So go figure.

Too short is better than too long to me also.

Don
That is a good point about flexibility... I'll have to try checkering with my elbows next... or maybe loading ammo with my wrists... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Everybody is different and every situation is different with a stock. Finding a workable combination that doesn't require too much accommodation and being able to recognize when a stock works for you is also important.

The chatter about moving the barreled action farther to the rear than intended is being done either by those who are shooting very heavy no-recoil stuff from the bench or those clueless ones. I defy anyone to shoot a group with a light weight rifle of modest recoil with that set-up.

You will be able to tell the one foolish enough to do it by the splint on their broken middle finger. Trigger guards hurt!
art