How To: Measure YOUR Length of Pull

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JD, you are just plain awesome! Excellent post.

 

I have heard that most of my life, with variations. You were, so far as I know, the first to put it into print. Not only that, but graphically and clearly.

Thanks for the input.

Bob Wright

 

Dillinger,

Thanks for the post!

03

 

OKAY, stupid question #1:

How do you put this information to good use?

To continue your example, say you actually measure 13.5" length of pull, by measuring your arm.

Do you measure that on the rifle from the center of the trigger guard to the end

of the stock, for instance? Or is there some formula to figure out,

once you have this measurement, the proper rifle stock size for you?

How do you handle it, if it is not an American rifle, or it's already been altered?

 

Thank You, Dillinger,

for your patience and clear explanation.

Now it's time to get out the tape measure...

This is an important issue to me, because I suspect one of my rifles

doth recoil too harshly...

 

Measure the length of pull. Tooooooooo many smart remarks where's Superdave when you need him. Brain crash toooooo many possibilities

 

Sorry JD had one too many tonight I do not mean any disrespect.

 

OKAY... ...14.75... ...HOLY COW! Fourteen and three quarters!

Zoiks, I'm screwed!

What did you say a good company for recoil pads was?

 

Very few rifles fit their owners. But when they don't, a short stock is easier to adapt to than a long one. -Paraphrase from Jeff Cooper

 

Turns out the Pachmeyer recoil pad for the Marlin is working wonders, between

absorbing recoil, and also helping adjust the length of pull.

Thank you once again, Dillinger, for a VERY HELPFUL thread on rifle stock

adjustment.

 

Yeah, the Marlin .44's doing great. And it's my favorite rifle furniture. The Black Walnut grain is clear, distinctive, and manly.

Now if I can just get that dagnabbitt .44 Desert Eagle to stop jamming...

 

Heh, I just modify myself to whatever rifle I pick up, I'm too tall for anything but Custom stocks

As long as you've got good cheek weld & line yer sights up properly, you'll hit what yer aiming at

 

The method described by Dillinger has long been accepted as a quick and dirty method for ascertaining a shooter's required length of pull.
Thirty five years ago, my mentor told me this was a valid system if a person shot his rifle from the crook of his arm. That was a little harsh but in truth, the method doesn't take a lot into account.
For instance, I am long armed (35 inch sleeves) but I am relatively narrow shouldered . I get away with a much shorter length of pull than would be indicated by measuring my arm. A friend is slightly shorter than I but has wide shoulders and tends to shoot across his body. He is more comfortable with a LOP which seems too long, to me.
Other factors which have considerable effect are the shape of the grip, the location of the trigger in the guard, and the type of shooting anticipated. A prone stock is usually a bit longer than one for off-hand use, for instance.
When I am trying to figure how long a shooters stock should be, I usually have him shoulder the rifle and hold it comfortably with his eyes closed. If his thumb is closer than 1/2 inch to his nose, I'll recommend a longer pull. If he is well back from his thumb, I might recommend a shorter pull. At the same time, I can check to see if he naturally cants the rifle (most do) and I can cheat a bit when grinding the pad to compensate for this.
The crook-of-the-arm measurment remains a decent means of performing a quick check but not always a means of determining ideal pull length. GD

 

Hi maybe you can help with this I have a Benille Super Nova Pump which I love only one problem I find it a little to long . I gave the shot gun to the Gun Smith to fit for me . but with out a wooden stock . he could do nothing for me . he wanted to cut the butt down to shorten the trigger pull how ever I did not think this is the way to go about it . any ideas ?