How do you measure Cast Off?

lay the rifle or shotgun on its left side on a table. measure the distance that the stock is off the table at the butt... I believe

Put the rifle in a vise. Lay a straight edge in the center of the rib extending over the lever and comb and finaly the heel of the butt. Make sure your straight edge is lying on the center of the rib again and then note the distance, right or left, from the center of the straight edge over the heel to the center of the heel.

If the center of the heal is directly under the center of the straight edge, the gun has no cast at the heel. If the heel is to the left, as you look from the barrels the gun has cast off at the heel - which is generally prefered by righties. If the heel is to the right as you look from the barrels the gun has cast on, preffered by lefties.

IF THE GUN HAS CAST ON YOU SHOULD DROP ME A PM SINCE I AM LEFT HANDED AND WILL TAKE THIS ILL FITTING ODDBALL RIFLE OFF YOU HANDS SAVING YOU MUCH GRIEF AND TROUBLE!

The diastance that the center of the HEEL deviates from the center of the staight edge gives you your most commonly used cast dimension. For example, say the straight edge/center of heel deviation is 1/4" to the left as you look from the barrels, the gun will be said to have "1/4" cast OFF". More properly it should read, "1/4" cast OFF at the heel".

There is also a measurement for cast taken in a similar manner but taken over the comb. This is reasonably enough "cast at comb", but you don't see this measurement used or advertised much.

You will run into "cast at the toe". This measurement is similar to cast at the heel but more trouble to come up with. Easiest method is to determine the cast at the heel and then with the gun is a vise and sitting absolutely parralel to the floor - the barrels not canted left or right - drop a straight edge from the center of the heel staight down, like a plumb bob. The distance from the center of the straight edge to the center of the toe is noted. Typically, the cast at the toe will be greater than the cast at the heel to move the toe into the pocket and off the shooter's pec muscle. So for a gun with 1/4" cast off at the heel, if the toe is, say, 1/4" further left than the center of the heel as you look from the barrels the gun will be said to have "1/4" cast off at the heel and 1/2" cast off at the toe".

Cast, at the comb and heel, is used to better center the shooter's eye on the rib or sights as the case may be. Cast at the toe is used to also help the shooter avoid canting the barrels in an effort to accomodate his pec muscles and to reduce felt recoil also at the pec muscles. Bespoke (ordered by an individual for the individual) womens' guns and rifles will often have a generous cast at the toe measurement for obvious reasons. A fit fellow who does pushups and bench presses will also benefit from more cast at the toe...

Cast is a very personal thing and is affected by a shooter's style, facial structure, length of neck, fitness and other factors. I know when I get chunky (even chunkier?) every winter I wish my guns had a bit more cast at the heel and more cast at the toe. A fair guess at cast for an individual is not really possible but I'd say the average would be, for American righties, 1/4" cast off at the heel and 3/8" or 1/2" at the toe. Americans tend to shoot more weakside forward while the English are taught to shoot more square with the target. More square = more cast.

Hope this helps.

JPK

quote:

IF THE GUN HAS CAST ON YOU SHOULD DROP ME A PM SINCE I AM LEFT HANDED AND WILL TAKE THIS ILL FITTING ODDBALL RIFLE OFF YOU HANDS SAVING YOU MUCH GRIEF AND TROUBLE!

LMAO


Thanks for the information.

Thanks for the question and the answer, that was very interesting.

NOTE: I NOTICED THAT I MADE A COUPLE OF ERRORS AS I WAS RIGHTING THIS AND TRYING IN MY MIND TO WRITE FOR THE MORE COMMON RIGHTIES. I'M A LEFTY AND REVERSED CAST ON/OFF ERRATICCALLY A COUPLE OF TIMES. THE CORRECTIONS ARE IN ALL CAPS.

SORRY FOR THE SCREW UP!

JPK

Thanks for the informative reply, I am fixing to measure mine now! Lee.

Lee440,

Hope you have three hands! It is easier with special tools, pretty easy without the special tools and a helping hand, only a bit more trouble with some tape, alone.

Good luck.

JPK