Excessive Heel Drop....

[BnC 04]

Good Day Folks,

Came across a 400 Jeffery custom built rifle and love the workmanship of metal and wood BUT it has a 2" drop at the heel. Being a collector of pre/post 64's Winchesters that have a more traditional American stock configuration, this excessive drop is hard to wrap my mind around and justify the purchase.
I've read with excessive drop your recoil is directed partially back and muzzle rise accounts for another good portion.
Any input from those that have this kind of British style stock configuration in 375 and higher would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[AZDAVE]

BnC04 ,
As long as you are planning on using irons the drop will be fine. If you want to scope the rifle, (Depending on your physcial makeup, IE long neck full face etc) most people find that they don't get the same cheek weld to the stock as on a stock with less drop and they are not as consistent shot. I like more drop on my rifles I am going to use irons on. Try mounting the rifle to your shoulder with your eyes closed and when you open you eye are you looking down a perfect alignment of the irons? If so buy the rifle, do the same with a scope on the rifle and see if you are looking through the scope or at the bottom and have to adjust you head to get a full clear sight picture.

Have a good day.

Dave

 

[Tom Leoni]

2" drop at heel? This sounds to me as very normal. About 2.5" is the standard for a shotgun nowadays, for instance. I think that the way you'll mount your scope will be the most critical variable--but a 2" drop at heel wouldn't concern me one bit.

 

[BnC 04]

2" drop at heel? This sounds to me as very normal. About 2.5" is the standard for a shotgun nowadays, for instance. I think that the way you'll mount your scope will be the most critical variable--but a 2" drop at heel wouldn't concern me one bit.

Most shotguns do have a healthy drop but most American standard rifle stocks are right around the 1/2" to 1" heel drop off center bore.

 

[Tom Leoni]

That's because of scope-mounting. A higher comb is more conducive to aligning the eye with today's variables and their sizable objectives. When I worked at SAKO, the most common set of rings we sold was medium, which place the eye quite a bit higher than the bore axis. This is why all else being equal, a higher comb will help your eye align with a bigger scope.

But depending on how and what you mount on your .400, the 2" drop at heel can become a non-issue.

 

[enysse]

I know it looks weird in pictures, but the gun will actually feel very natural when you put it up to your shoulder. It will not make recoil bad at all.

 

[spike.t]

Came across a 400 Jeffery custom built rifle

...do you mean .404 jeffery just out of interest ?

 

[BnC 04]

...do you mean .404 jeffery just out of interest ?

Good catch Spike...yes 404 J...thx

 

[BnC 04]

Sick part is I am already in the middle of a project and this thing pops up.. If it weren't for it being built off a Winnie platform I wouldn't have bothered but 1 just can't have enough M70's..

 

[spike.t]

Good catch Spike...yes 404 J...thx

was worried in case there was one i had missed out on.....

 

[BnC 04]

Ya I hear ya...I Pretty much just crossbred a 400 H&H with a Jeff...

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Sick part is I am already in the middle of a project and this thing pops up.. If it weren't for it being built off a Winnie platform I wouldn't have bothered but 1 just can't have enough M70's..

I knew I liked you for a reason.....

You're in the middle of the project, go with it and see it through. When it's all said and done if you don't like the stock configuration, get a new one!

 

[BnC 04]

I knew I liked you for a reason.....

You're in the middle of the project, go with it and see it through. When it's all said and done if you don't like the stock configuration, get a new one!

I hear ya Phil, seems like a logical plan, for me anyway....the better half... well, not some much. I keep using the "it's my retirement gift to myself" but she has caught on to that now...

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I hear ya Phil, seems like a logical plan, for me anyway....the better half... well, not some much. I keep using the "it's my retirement gift to myself" but she has caught on to that now...

Have you tried, "It's my retirement gift to you honey" yet?
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M won't buy it, but I'd love to hear how it goes.

 

[Tom Leoni]

Hehe... my wife thinks that walnut and steel spontaneously reproduce. That plus separate bank-accounts makes for a happy, gun-friendly marriage indeed.

 

[BnC 04]

Phil, no gotta save that one once my current build is complete. Put a bow on it and a card...won't be pretty but hey better to ask for forgiveness then permission

Tom, yes 100% agree.

 

[rookhawk]

Good Day Folks,

Came across a 400 Jeffery custom built rifle and love the workmanship of metal and wood BUT it has a 2" drop at the heel. Being a collector of pre/post 64's Winchesters that have a more traditional American stock configuration, this excessive drop is hard to wrap my mind around and justify the purchase.
I've read with excessive drop your recoil is directed partially back and muzzle rise accounts for another good portion.
Any input from those that have this kind of British style stock configuration in 375 and higher would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Pay him twice what he asks and thank him profusely?

The win70 is wrong so your comparing a correct gun against a heinous American act of poor stock geometry. I just had a model 70 reworked to undo John Olin's errors myself! All hyperbole aside, a stock as you describe with low rings should be much more pleasing to shoot and fast aiming than a high comb American style stock.

Said another way, if you go to Hartmann & Weis with a half million dollars and ask for a best gun fit to you, when you return in two years to pick up the gun, will the stock have British drops or will it look like a model 70? There's your answer.

 

[BnC 04]

Appreciate the input rookhawk. I'm looking forward to getting to the range with it and giving her a go.

 

[sierraone]

was worried in case there was one i had missed out on.....

Spike, speaking of .400 H&H. Are they popular in your part of the world? Dakota makes them over here, but I have never known anyone to buy one!

 

[rookhawk]

Appreciate the input rookhawk. I'm looking forward to getting to the range with it and giving her a go.

You're going to love it once you break your muscle memory of the high comb stock.