Phern

I'm surprised that not many people talk about adjusting the height of their cheek rests so that their eye lines up with the rifle scope. Am I in the wrong when I say that most rifle stocks are too low after a scope has been installed? The stock on my rifle had to be built up so that I could see through the center of the scope while my cheek rests comfortably yet positively on the rifle stock. I never see anyone with an adjusted cheek rest at the rifle range or while hunting. I visited a few places that sell hunting supplies and I only found a few things that were more storage devices for ammunition than adjustable cheek rests. I tried the internet and the only cheek rest that seemed to fit my needs (made by Beartooth) was not shipped to Canada. I had to buy it from an Australian seller. There are a lot of DIY sites on how to make a cheek rest and how military snipers set up their rifles but I wanted something prettier.

Oldtimr

Not all people are built the same so not all people need a raised comb on their stocks to get a good cheek weld and a straight sighting through the scope. sometimes it can be corrected with different, lower scope mounts without attaching anything to the butt stock. Sometimes it can be a matter of holding the rifle correctly and sometimes raising the comb with an aftermarket device can be the fix if there is a problem.

bronko22000

I agree with Oldtimr. But luckily for me my rifles fit me well and my scopes are set at the minimum height for clearance with barrel, action and bolt and my eye is in alignment when the rifle is shouldered. I guess I'm lucky in the fact that I am of average size (except around the middle) and that's what the manufacturers design around. I have seen that lately some manufacturers are making stocks with adjustable cheek welds. Mostly in their "tactical" line. Boy is that another sales gimmick!
Now my lever guns have a lower comb which is perfect for the iron sights on them. I did notice when I had a scope on my Marlin 1895 I had to adjust my cheek to the stock. I never did bother to add height to the stock. But I have since then removed the scope and installed a Williams peep sight on it.

Oldtimr

Yeah, I have to adjust my head a bit on my Marlin 1895 45-70 but it is not a big enough problem that I can't do it fast enough to shoot a walking or trotting deer.

Nomercy448

It doesn't make any sense to me to own a rifle and tolerate poor fit, whether it's length of pull, grip angle, trigger reach, cast, drop, or pitch. My stock should fit me, your stock should fit you. If you pick up your rifle, slam your face into a comfortable cheekweld with your eyes closed, when you open your eyes, your eye should be centered in the optic or in the sights. If it doesn't, the stock is wrong, and it should be modified.

For comb height, since different shooters may use the rifle, or the same shooter might use the rifle with iron sights, or with a low mounted scope, or with a larger objective, higher mounted scope, it typically makes sense to NOT buy a stock with a super high comb, limiting yourself to that ONE tall height. It's easy to build up a comb with temporary/non-permanent devices to make it taller, but impossible to temporarily shave wood/plastic/fiberglass from a comb to lower it.

I have cheek risers in one form or another on many of my rifles, and there are lots of options for how to accomplish this. Currently, I have:

• Stocks with built-in adjustable combs (think McMillan A5, Luth-AR, etc)

• Adjustable Kydex "saddle types" which bolt over the top of the factory comb (think M4A2)

• Stocks with variable alignment plates for drop & cast (Benelli Comfortech)

• Stocks with factory design incorporating interchangeable combs of different heights (Benelli Comfortech & Ruger American style)

• Delrin fixed height risers which screw to the top of the comb (think Dragunov)

• Stock Pack and stock wrap types with inserts which wrap around the stock and offer means to elevate the comb (Hornady makes a nice stock pack)

• Cheap allen elastic cartridge carriers with foam rubber riser inserts