I'm getting ready to do three new stocks - all for moderate to heavy recoiling rifles: 7mm Mag, 35 Whelen (real loads), and 404 Jeffery (real loads).

I know a straight comb reduces felt recoil (I've experienced the difference first hand from rifles I've restocked).

Question - does Toe also make a difference? I have a stock with Toe out in a 8x57 with a metal buttplate. Hot loads as well. The recoil on the rifle isn't noticeable from a shoulder perspective - better than other rifles with recoil pads of similar weight, ballistics, etc.

Chest shape can be a decisive factor as to whether yo need toe out or not, and how you stand can also make a difference. If you habitually lean forward there is less need than if you stand more up and down as this effects how the chest muscles intereacrt with the butt. Take another of you heavier recoiling rifles and fire a few rounds then hold it with enough cant to similate toe out and fire a few more. this should settle the matter for you.

I fit the toe so that the bulk of the recoil forces go straight back into the pocket of the shoulder and centered on the butt. It's been years since I've had to worry about toe angles, mostly when fitting shotguns to large breasted women, I love my job, but when I did, I would place a stack of washer over the recoil pad screw at the heel to alter the toes angle. Simply adding or removing washers can generally produce the feel you are after. Throw a cheap assed pad on just for measuring purposes. Once you find the correct angle, simply mark, cut and fit.

Thanks - I'll look how my 8x57 fits versus my 375 H&H.

The other that has made a difference on my 8x57 is that I finally fitted a rifle with my correct LOP - 15"

quote:

... when fitting shotguns to large breasted women, I love my job, ...

Toe out is critical. As mentioned above, a well endowed woman needs a fair amount.

Shotguns that really fit you will have both cast-off (for a dextral person, cast-on for sinistral), and toe out.

For men, the rifle fit depends on body shape. I have a long neck, and developed a lot of upper body muscle strength (and concomitant size), so I am in the oversized, "girl with breasts" category.

I cannot speak for fireplug built people, or those with short, or filled in necks. For me, the Sako, "Hunter" style stocks, with their modest Monte Carlo, cast-off and toe-out, fit like a dream. I have to shoot some straight-in-stock (they mitigate recoil, dontcha know) designs with the butt on top of my shoulder.

I wonder if the whole "Classical" stock movement has not lowered our collective national rifle shooting accuracy by about 30+%. JMO