Big bore lop

nksmfamjp

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Most of my standard rifles run 13.5-14” lop. I see many big bores at 14 +. I’m a tall guy at 6’3”.

How do I know what lop is right? 14” on my AR seems long. 13.5” on my Ruger 6.5x55 is ok. On a DG Rifle, should I be looking 13.5” range or longer like 14+? I plan on not using a scope.
 
I am 6’4 and have a 37” sleeve length...I spent a lot of years shooting competitive sporting clays so I tend to be a bit of a stock crawler and gravitate towards much longer LOPs. My competition shotgun was 16 1/8” but I have found 15-15.25” on my big bores to be more comfortable. Much shorter than that and felt recoil tends to increase as well as thumb interference across my nose.

Longer LOP felt a bit awkward at first but once the rifle was firmly in my shoulder pocket and my head on the stock recoil became much easier for me. For me it was a bit of trial and error on length.
 
Even on heavy calibers, my LOP on a rifle averages half an inch shorter than one of my SxS shotguns. The somewhat shorter LOP facilitates "aiming" while the longer LOP facilitates dynamic "pointing" which is what one does (or should do with a shotgun). For me, ideal SxS or OU LOP, depending on drop at heel 14 3/4 inches. My fitted rifles are 14 1/4 to 14 1/2. I am 6" so everything is proportional.
 
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Interesting viewpoints. I honestly think it has mostly to do with how square you stand to the target. A light gun will allow me to stand a bit more square. A heavy rifle, a bit more cross body for fore end leverage.

I some how think 14” would be about right.
 
Gun fit on big bores is more important than in smaller calibres. You want the rifle to come up and be balanced between the hands like a fine shotgun. I have attached a couple pictures that can help with fitting. However if you are at DSC or SCI I would recommend going by the Verney Carron booth and talk a little bit with Jerome about gun fitting.

I am 5'11" but have Long arms and neck and my LOP on shotguns in 15 3/8 and on bigbore rifles I fine 15-15 1/8 work best fore me.

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dave ,
those drawings are a guide only.
if you are deformed like me they are barely that.
factory rifles have evolved to fit average guys, with the possibility of being a bit long sometimes, and this is a guide.
when you design a stock, the place to start is the pistol grip length, then 2nd is the length of pull.
length of pull is based around reaching the trigger in a comfortable shooting position, so you need to make the stock too long, and shorten it to suit the individual.
length of pull is extremely dependant on clothing worn, to the extent that hunting in snow will require a shorter lop than when hunting in summer. this might be where a slip on pad for summer might be cheaper than 2 stocks.
for guns up to 30/06 I use 13 1/2" lop, and add 1/16" to that for bigger kickers to avoid being hit by the scope.
of course you need to mount the scope to suit lop rather than adjusting lop to suit scope mounting.
bruce.
 
@bruce moulds I agree that the pics are just a starting point. So many folks have never considered stock and just buy and shoot factory rifles and shotguns. I don't want to think of the number of times that I punched myself in the nose with 45/70 and up ruger #1's with that short for me 13 1/2 LOP.

When I lay out a stock for myself or someone else, I start with getting the action in place and then will get the pistol length and distance it sits back based on the hand size of the shooter. then I lay out a little longer LOP that I think it will be and work on the correct cast and toe out or straight. the last I work is the pitch. For my wife I have found that the thumbhole stock from Boyds fits her hand for correct trigger control but I have to take a file to the diamater of the grip so she is completely comfortable. She also likes about a 3/16 of toe out to I get the files back into play. Her LOP is 13 3/8 for summer and 13 for winter hunting (She doesn't do real cold hunts). For me I destroyed a number of stocks and blanks learning to get mine to fit the exact way I want. A correct fitting big bore rifle is so much easier to shoot and deal with the recoil. I have shot up to 577NE with control and as much comfort as possible when getting hit hard.
 
dave,
here is my test for stock fit.
look at an object and close your eyes..
bring up the rifle and mentally aim it at the object.
open your eyes.
of the crosshair is repeatedly on or near the object you have pretty good fit.
if it is consistently high or low, left or right, this can be helped with fit.
actually we can go overboard on stock fit.
most shooting does not require it to be absolute, and you can get used to a no cast stock for snap shooting with practice.
one of the biggest mistakes seen in modern stocks is the trend to make pistol grips too tight.
there is a school of thought arising that thinks the pistol grip is to pull the rifle back with, and this is absolutely untrue.
the trigger hand should be neutral as part of the hold, and the angle of the grip should be such that the trigger hand elbow is encouraged to be naturally up toward shoulder height.
target shooting pistol grips are different to hunting rifles.
but still the trigger hand should just rest on the grip, and in no way force the rifle.
bruce.
 
I have the same issue with lop. My CZ and Whitworth rifles have a 14.5 lop with the factory pads AND I still have put on a one inch Limbsaver slip on recoil pad so the lop is comfortable. I’ve had to pass up a couple of good deals on rifles with synthetic stocks with 13-13,5 lop as they’re just to short? Almost as bad as a lefty looking to buy a rifle?
 
c e h,
you must be a big man.
bruce.
Bruce,
No 6’2 “ but with longer arms. I guess I’m just a freak, so I fit in here on AH with some of the other members! Ha! Ha! I just measured AGAIN the lop on my CZ, Whitworth and Browning ABolt. The CZ and Whitworth have a slip on Limbsaver pad over the factory pads and have 15” lop. The Browning has a slip on Pachmyer Decelerator pad over the factory pad and has a 14 3/4 lop. Only the Browning has a scope. I can bend my elbow 90 degrees with the butt stocks placed in the crook of my elbow and my finger on the trigger. I’m thinking the CZ and Whitworth may have a little too much lop if I decide to scope either of them? But they come up well to my shoulder,
and with the express sights, the lop seems about perfect.
CEH
 
I trimmed my stock to 13.5 ". I am 5 ft 8 with maybe wider shoulders and longer arms than average. I think I trimmed half an inch off. The difference it made is easier/quicker mounting of the rifle and sights align naturally. When the length of pull was longer, front sight was often high. I can put 2 fingers between the knuckle on my right thumb and my nose which is supposed to be an indicator of fit.

LOP makes a big difference to felt recoil as well. Too short or too long and you feel it. I would recommend that you do pull the rifle back into your shoulder with a big bore. You need to have a firm hold on the rifle and your muscles must be under some tension to absorb recoil. Target type shooting with zero pressure on the rifle will hurt with a big bore !
 

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