About 5 years ago I returned to the sporting shotgun after 35 years with the tactical gun. I've been shooting a lot of trap and some skeet. Now I'm getting serious about sporting clays and related field type games and starting to wonder about where to go with my choice of guns. I'm currently using the Beretta Silver Pigeon "sporting" models.

I've never owned or used a shotgun with an adjustable stock. Luckliy I've had guns that fit me. Or perhaps I've just adjusted to the guns I've used. I don't really know, I've never had one " professionally fitted." My experience is probably "supposition" rather than reality.

What are the pros and cons of an adjustable stock vs a gun with a "fitted" stock, or one that just happens to fit the shooter?

Why are some "sporting models" equipped with an adjustable stock, and others not? For example, Kreighoff's standard sporting model has an adjustable stock, yet some other Kreighoff sporting models do not. Most Beretta sporting models do not.

I can see the utility of an adjustable stock in games where a pre-mount is allowed. I'm not sure how one would help in games where the gun cannot be pre-mounted.

I'm considering a jump to a Beretta DT10 class gun, or maybe something along the lines of an entry level Kreighoff.

I'd appreciate your thoughts.

Best.......Tom

I basically quit competitive shooting just as adjustable stocks were coming onto the scene but I'll give you my view of how they should be used.

First of all, I think they're dead ugly but that doesn't mean they don't have a useful purpose and that purpose is to determine what ht comb works best for you for a given game. The other thing is, an AS (adjustable stock) does allow you to use the same action, usually with different barrels (assuming an O/U) for different games.

My main thoughts are that many shooters are sheep and don't have enough confidence in their own judgement to know when a gun fits or it doesn't. Part of this comes from many shooters inability to "call" their shots and evaluate and try to understand why they missed a given target. Misses are really more important than hits, since good shots will instantly try to analyze why they missed. Was it shooter error, inattention, etc. and if it was positioning error, "lifting head", etc. would a stock dimension change help without interfering with your other shots? Most people will shrug their shoulders, mentally, at least, and say, "Oh, well." In general, poor or average shots tend to blame their equipment much more than themselves, when, in fact, it is almost always the opposite.

Bottom line is, if you get an AS, then shoot it a bit making minor changes as you go until you think you've got the right combination. Then STOP, lock it in, and shoot it a few hundred shots mimimun, a few thousand would be better, and see if that is the right dimension for you. Don't fall into the trap of thinking things like, "Well, the wind is coming in, I need to raise the comb to compensate." etc. Just pay attention to your shooting and leave the damn stock adjustments alone.

That's my opinion and it is worth just a fraction more than it cost.

You wouldn't go to a rifle match without your load developed and your rifle sighted in, would you?


Shotgun fit is how you "sight in" a shotgun.

A shotgun must shoot where you look. This is because shotguns are not aimed. In shotgunning, the shooter looks at the target, completes his gun mount, and engages it with whatever method of lead he likes.

Now, with this being a given, to find out if your shotgun fits you must go to the patterning board. It's best if it's a steel patterning board. Paint a dot on the board with a spray can. Back off to 16 yards (I like 20) and with the tightest choke in your gun, look only at the dot on the board. Load your gun and while only focusing on the dot bring your gun from the low gun postion to fully mounted on your cheek and fire. IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU ARE ONLY FOCUSED ON THE DOT. NO AIMING OR ALIGNING THE BEADS TO THE DOT BEFORE YOU PULL THE TRIGGER.

You must pull the trigger the moment the stock hits your face.

Keep doing this until you have fired enough shots to show where the majority of the shot is hitting. If it's not right on the dot, you need to have your gun fit by a pro or try to tackle it yourself.

The rear sight on your shotgun is your eye. To change the postion of the rear sight you must change the shape of your stock. This is how you make your gun shoot where you look or "Sight it in".

If you have an adjustable comb on your stock, making your gun shoot where you look (smoke targets) is fairly simple with some time at the patterning board.

This is why many good shotguns come with adjustable combs. It almost eliminates the need for a professional to bend or shape your stock. You can get it done yourself.