Lengrth Of Pull

[Shraggs]

Couple of questions for you wkr experts.

Seems its not an exact science or process, feel and subjectivity seem the process. So been messing around with my tikka t3x, with the stock pad it is 14" too long for me. Without it is 13" a bit short. With a different pad seems pretty good at 13.5" in a tee shirt. Im 5'8". historically seems in the cold with a thick coat takes me a bit to get things right...


For those of you who really know this, or have a chasis or adjustable stock:

1. does or should your lop change for different shooting positions, ie prone, sitting, standing etc.?

2. does or should your lop change for say .5" of warm layers

 

[2muchhp]

My experience on #2 is yes. Being from Ml most of my rifle hunting is done in the cold with multiple layers which does change the position on lop.
The rifles I use then I have shortened up to 13.5". I hunt in the thick stuff where snap/quick shooting is a must there is no time to find the position, it has to be there. Also the longer lop has a tendency to catch on my jacket on the way up.

 

[chutinlead]

If you are measuring based off of prone and going to be hunting with it, I would go shorter. For anything outside of prone or bench, I like shorter than my prone length.

Using the whole buttstock in the inside corner against your bicep rule of thumb, I should use 13.75-14". My hunting rifle is setup for 12.75.

#1 yes
#2 yes

 

[Shraggs]

If you are measuring based off of prone and going to be hunting with it, I would go shorter. For anything outside of prone or bench, I like shorter than my prone length.

Using the whole buttstock in the inside corner against your bicep rule of thumb, I should use 13.75-14". My hunting rifle is setup for 12.75.

#1 yes
#2 yes

Do you mind sharing your height?

 

[Macintosh]

Its not only a height thing, theres enough variability in other measurements (wingspan, neck, thickness of shoulder and bicep, etc) that its not as simple as just height. Im well versed in shotgun fit and not as much in rifle fit, so take with an appropriate grain of salt, but
1) maybe a tiny bit if you built a gun for only one position, but you have to pick a compromise length that accommodates all of your anticipated shooting positions. So not really.
2) no, but its worth taking into account. Having a good mount is much more important—sloppy mount is less repeatable AND more prone to catch on clothing. But thick clothes and a pack strap can still change eye relief, etc.

 

[Tyler Holderby]

I'm 6'1" & I like a 13.25" LOP. Keep in mind scope placement forward to back as well as grip placment plays a part in LOP. 13.25 allows me to get squar-ish behind the rifle, tight to my shoulder neck junction which I prefer.

 

[chutinlead]

Do you mind sharing your height?

I'm 6ft about 180 with long arms. I find it's easier to get square behind the rifle like @sdriverbottom said if you aren't compensating for something with your long LoP.

IMHO, too long a LoP will push your shoulder back and make your off shoulder curl forward to correct for it.

A shorter LoP is also easier to shoot offhand or unsupported since the center of mass of your rifle should be closer to you.

 

[Shraggs]

Wanted to circle back on a the rifle I’ll be using in a week or so and thank you guys for chiming in.

This gun is a browning blr. Lop is 13.75. Too long but not ready to cut beautiful wood just yet. Bought thin recoil pad and got it 13 3/8, definitely better. But I still noticed problems prone with scope relief. Fortunately this is a 1-6 swfa and was able to move it back .5”. And so far standing, sitting and prone are so much better.

Lesson learned on setting scope relief not just standing and how it influences lop.

My next rifle to finish is a tikka in 6.5 wearing NF shv f1. With the recoil pad off it’s 13 lop vs 14 with it. Even at 13 scope can’t come back far enough for me in all positions with the big 50 mm and sportsmatch rings.

Others have stated it in various threads and recommended to me off line, but a chassis would be a great tool to dial in lop, scope relief etc even if not hunting with so as to customize rifles that can’t be set up that way. Funds tight so one of those next year….

In mean time I took recoil pad off my other tikka 223 77 rig and made a stainless plate I’ll add sone rubber texture and shoot it this year at 13” snd see.

 

[MtnW]

I am 6’4” 225lbs 35” arm length , medium thick neck
I shoot a 14 1/2” L.O.P.
the more recoil the rifle produces the more important the proper LOP becomes for me

 

[KenLee]

You must have a short action BLR. Don't consider long actions, as they have a half inch longer LOP.

 

[chutinlead]

Wanted to circle back on a the rifle I’ll be using in a week or so and thank you guys for chiming in.

This gun is a browning blr. Lop is 13.75. Too long but not ready to cut beautiful wood just yet. Bought thin recoil pad and got it 13 3/8, definitely better. But I still noticed problems prone with scope relief. Fortunately this is a 1-6 swfa and was able to move it back .5”. And so far standing, sitting and prone are so much better.

Lesson learned on setting scope relief not just standing and how it influences lop.

My next rifle to finish is a tikka in 6.5 wearing NF shv f1. With the recoil pad off it’s 13 lop vs 14 with it. Even at 13 scope can’t come back far enough for me in all positions with the big 50 mm and sportsmatch rings.

Others have stated it in various threads and recommended to me off line, but a chassis would be a great tool to dial in lop, scope relief etc even if not hunting with so as to customize rifles that can’t be set up that way. Funds tight so one of those next year….

In mean time I took recoil pad off my other tikka 223 77 rig and made a stainless plate I’ll add sone rubber texture and shoot it this year at 13” snd see.

Yeah the Tikka being an always long action and the SHV having pretty short eye relief isn't a great combo. It might be worth switching to a picatinny rail and rings or a different scope for that rifle.