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littlbigd
.224 member


Reged: 04/02/07
Posts: 12
Loc: Anchorage, AK
How to determine your length of pull
      #79110 - 21/05/07 08:01 PM

I did a forum search here on Nitroexpress on how to determine my length of pull and did not find any answers. I expanded my search to some other forums across the web and I wanted to share my results so this information will be available here. Nothing below is mine - this is all cut and paste from answers and posts on various message boards across the web:

How to determine your length of pull with a rifle?

Put your arm on the table, bent at a 90 deg. angle and measure from the top of your bicep to the last joint on your index finger.
There are a variations, but this will get you there.....
This would be a summer time LOP....I would subtract at least 1/2" for a wintertime or year round LOP (allows for a coat)
It is better to have it a little short than to have it to long.

The measurement of the gun would be from the trigger to the recoil pad.

How do I determine length of pull when choosing a custom stock?

The length of pull or LOP is measured from the forward face of the trigger to the end of the butt plate or butt pad. It should be measured to the point halfway between the heel (top) and the toe (bottom) of the butt plate.

LOP is considered a very important measurement for any stock because the length of the buttstock will greatly affect how well you can hold your rifle and how well you will shoot.

If the LOP is too short, you will tend to pull your shots to the right if you are a right-hand shooter. If the LOP is too long, the rifle will tend to ride upward and outward during recoil which will usually make you shoot low and to the left if you are a right-hand shooter. Reverse these directions if you are a left-hand shooter.

Correct LOP can be determined by placing the buttstock along your forearm. Slip your trigger finger onto the trigger and the rest of your fingers around the pistol grip or wrist just like you would do if you were shouldering the rifle. Look down and see if the face of the butt plate or butt pad rests against your biceps.

If it is just touching the surface of your biceps then the LOP is very close to being correct. You can further test for a correct LOP by shouldering the rifle and relaxing your right arm and letting your elbow drop as low as possible without being uncomfortable. Your elbow should be approximately in the centreline of the side of your body.

If it's too far forward the LOP is too long. If it's too far rearward, the LOP is too short. These tests are just initial indicators of correct LOP. Because of variations in shooting styles you may still need to lengthen or shorten the buttstock to gain a correct fit.

Reply

Stephen has given a good definition of length of pull as well as describing the most generic of ways to try to get an idea about length of pull. But neither of those methods will truly establish your real length of pull. And the approximations that they will give can be decidely wrong.

Most of us think that length of pull is just the one measurement and that's that. But there is a long list of variables that get included in just that one measurement.

- How long is your neck, is it shorter or longer than the average?

- How fat or skinny is your cheek on the stock-side?

- How much muscle do you have in the pocket of your shoulder?

- How developed are your pectoral mucles? Your biceps?

- Does your clavical protrude across the top of your shoulder?

That's the short list and you can see how picky it gets real quick if you want a true custom stock.

If you are looking for a true custom stock, I suggest that you go to a professional stockmaker. They can do all of the right measuring and assure you of a perfect correct fit. If you are just getting the length of pull for a fiberglass stock, you should be measured by a professional as well. If you think that you do not meet the "average" description of the "average" shooter, take a look at an adjustable stock in fiberglass.

I'm not trying to beat this into the ground but I am an example of a non-average shooter and I have to make custom wood stocks for myself and because fiberglass doesn't allow for all of the adjustments in a regular stock, I have to use the adjustable ones. It makes a huge difference!

FWIW - measuring from my bicep to the pad of my trigger finger is 13-1/8" and my correctly measured length of pull is 14-1/4".

Reply
Are all important measurements, however, they are more important to cast-on/cast-off and drop.

Reply

One other thing to consider on determining a trigger pull length for hunting rifles, is how much cothing you will be wearing when you are out in the hinterland. Those of us that routinely hunt in -30 or -40, and have to wear parkas and many layers of clothing, will find that a slightly shorter than optimum trigger pull length is required.

On several occasions over the years I have seen southern boys that are use to hunting in T shirts, get the butt of their custom rifle hung up in their arm pits on the way up and miss out on a shot.




--- and last, a link to some more information found:
http://www.peteblakeley.com/custom.htm


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Marrakai
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3598
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
Re: How to determine your length of pull [Re: littlbigd]
      #79161 - 22/05/07 01:16 PM

I love this bit:
"If the LOP is too short, you will tend to pull your shots to the right..."

In actual fact, if the LOP is too short, the recoil will smash your thumb into the point of your nose and you will bleed all over your nice new rifle!

Length of pull is correct if there's a couple of inches gap between the thumb and the nose, when the firearm is correctly mounted.

An interesting post, littlbigd, but I tend to subscribe to the notion that a rifle fits you if it fits you, so the best proceedure is to mount the rifle and then check thumb clearance, head comfort, eye alignment with the rib, etc. As suggested above, this is what a professional stock-maker would do. If he measures your forearm, head for the door!

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au


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farshot
.300 member


Reged: 25/01/06
Posts: 106
Loc: Alberta Canada
Re: How to determine your length of pull [Re: Marrakai]
      #79536 - 29/05/07 03:25 AM

I thought my lop was correct for my merkel .470 as it was my normal length for the bolt actions I have used. However, an experienced double smith looked at my tall build, chest size, etc and added an extra 3/4 inch by way of a kick easee pad ---- what a difference! basically it made the rifle more accurate from the first shot. I know that sounds a little silly, but the shots now all went to center after playing with loads and fill for a year. Now that I am more confident, well, it just gets better shot after shot. But with those first few shots after the lengthening, I had no basis for the confidence -- but it really helped both in accuracy and comfort. It seems too long at first, but now I know the difference between a well fitting double rifle and bolt rifle. I do envy those who can do a completely bespoke custom stock - it must feel excellent.

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400NitroExpress
.400 member


Reged: 26/11/03
Posts: 1154
Loc: Lone Star State
Re: How to determine your length of pull [Re: farshot]
      #79579 - 30/05/07 04:25 AM

Quote:

I thought my lop was correct for my merkel .470 as it was my normal length for the bolt actions I have used. However, an experienced double smith looked at my tall build, chest size, etc and added an extra 3/4 inch by way of a kick easee pad ---- what a difference! basically it made the rifle more accurate from the first shot.




Amazing how many miss this. A DR properly fit to the same person will typically have an LOP 1/2 to 3/4" longer than the bolt rifle. This is as simple as the fact that they're not measured from the same place.

--------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."


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