Hi Folks:

I am purchasing a used rifle that is being shipped to me as I speak. It is a Rem 700 BDL in 25-06. It was made for a guy 6'4" tall, and has a 14 and 1/4" LOP. I am a little under 5'10" and wonder if I will need to have the LOP reduced for me. I am aware of the elbow to finger measuring technique, which for me is about 13 and 1/2", and which I understand is typical or "normal."

Are there any ergonomic relationships (in cheek or eye placement, or whatever) that can give me an indication of the proper fit, or is it strictly just a "feel" type of thing? I have a handful of other rifles (all factory), and they have LOP's between about 13 and 1/4" and 14" or so. To me, they all feel fine.

Any suggestions/advice on this matter would really be appreciated. Thanks, and Happy New Year to you all!

Crusader,

The "hook and crook" method of measurement (hook of the finger to the crook of the elbow) doesn't work for everyone. There is a method that I use which works quite well and I call it the "Rule of Thumb" method. While dressed in similar garb to that which you would normally wear for the purpose you are using the rifle, be it hunting style clothes or bullet proof vest, or whatever, mount the rifle like you normally would when shooting off hand.

Ideally you want the tip of your nose to be about 1" from the knuckle of your thumb as you grip it. Much closer and you are asking for a nose bleed and any further away and you begin to strain which brings about involuntary twitching or convulsions which does nothing for accuracy.

Set up this way, you can shoot prone (the most steady position) very comfortably without having to climb upon your scope. I don't believe the Remington will fit you well as it is.

Regards,

Malm

Just put the rifle to your shoulder with a coat on. There is nothing more complicated that that.

A lot depends on shooting style but I am two inches taller than you and like a LOP of 13.25". Some stocks that have non standard pistol grip LOP's can affect this measurement. For instance guns with double triggers usually have their grip further back and can seem to fit well even though they may be long from the front trigger to the butt. The pistol grip length is more important than that to the trigger(s).

In general a stock that's long will always be too long and a stock that's short can be adapted to and in fact will be a handy rifle for woods use.

Crusader, listen to what Malm said. It is the method that makes sense. My stockmaker mentor Ray Price told me the same thing. He explained further that the length of the stock is what will either inhibit or enable you to get your eye in line with the scope and in the range of the eye relief. The length of your arms is irrelevant. It is more relative to the length of your neck and how you lay it on the stock. If you have a long neck and you lay it down on the stock, most likely you will need a longer LOP or your eye will be in the scope. If you have a short stubby neck the opposite is true. And arm length and neck length are not reflective of each other. I use 1" to 1 1/2" from the thumb to the nose of the shooter.