O/U lefty help

[Big Duck Extreme]

I have been looking into getting a new O/U. Most of the guns I have been looking at have a but stock that is not on the center line of the barrel (the stock is a little offset). When I go to sholder it, I am not looking straight down the center of the barrel, which makes me look in one direction and point the gun slightly to the right. I have noticed this on cheap and on some of the more expensive ones. My father and my brother both have the same problem, so I dont believe it is just me. Is there any way to fix this problem? What is your recomendation.

[Vapodog]

Have you determined which eye is dominent?...this is critically important.

[Big Duck Extreme]

I am left eye dominent. I have no problems shooting other guns just the O/U. And you can physically see the stock is off set. This is not just one particular manufacturer or style, I have noticed it on many different manufactures and styles.

[Vapodog]

Big Duc, have you tried shooting left handed?

[doubleA]

Big Duck Extreme, just like rifles, the manufactures tend to cater to the most popular market which is right handed shooters. I am left eye dominant and shoot left handed O/U' s and right handed autos set up for a leftie. Due to personal fit they all have adjustable butts and combs, ribs and are clay target guns.



The offset in which to describe is called " cast" . A stock made for a right handed person has " cast on" , or angled to the right. This enables the shooters eye(dominant right) to line up with the centerline of the rib, it also directs the recoil away from his face.

A stock inletted for a left handed shooter will have " cast off" , or angled to the left.
Ditto the above^ I have a Browning 1885 SS in 7mm STW which actually has cast off in the stock and it' s a pleasure to shoot.

Most field over and unders will have stocks that have " cast on" . There is a way that you could get to it to work and that would be to get a gun with an adjustable comb. This allows some adjustment to get your dominate eye over the centerline and change the point of impact.



You dont say what the shotgun will be used for but I assume ducks going by your handle. I dont know about Browning but Beretta does offer left handed wood on some models. Another alternetive would to have a good shotgun smith alter the inletting to change the cast. I am not a big fan of stock bending as they tend to creep back to their original position.

Hope this helps, AA

[Big Duck Extreme]

Vapo, I am left handed that is why I have this problem. DoubleA, The info helps alot. I am faced with either living with it or having a smith work on it. I really did not want to have a lot o work done on it because it will be used for ducks (which a duck hunter knows is hard to keep from being banged up)and for field hunting and I dont want to have a real expensive gun that is going to get beat up.

Thanks again for the info

[jed]

The Ruger Red Label is not cast. The all weather model (stainless, synthetic) was designed for those nasty days in the goose pit. Maybe you should look at some different manufacturers