Brian gave you excellent advice...

A close gun fit can be worked with....When it isn't close consistency is hard to find...One of the reasons a shotgun that fits perfectly is a pleasure to shoot...

A good fitting gun will take a lot of the uncertainty out of the process - the mount - the ADJUSTMENT to the gun’s fit - and finally the shot, if it’s not too late.

The ADJUSTMENT takes your mind off of the flight line of the target, be it feathered or clay, and you end up aiming instead of simply instinctively pointing your gun.



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That’s what I would tell myself when looking at a Parker I wanted. “Gun fit, if it even exists, is way overrated”, I thought. Then one day I bought a Parker that fit me like a glove and my shooting improved. Like Dean stated, I didn’t need concern myself with making any kind of adjustments. I measured that guns dimensions and won’t buy anything not the same or close.

Gun fit is only not important if ones basic fundamentals Re shooting are poor. In which case a perfect fit means little.

With sound fundamentals all will shoot better....when the shooter doesn’t have to adapt to the shotgun.

I am familiar with the concepts and practice of gunfit, having been "certified" by Bob James a while back. One of the best books on the subject is Michael Yardley's, a review of which is attached, along with an article from Sporting Clays magazine on the subject.

Attachment 87707

My comments were general thoughts from personal experience.

If you mean Bob James from Montana, then years back I found him to be an extremely nice and knowledgeable individual, who had access to killer wood. Also watched him fit a shotgun for a gal I used to hang with.

Again years back I crossed paths with Yardley a couple times when he was over here and didn’t arrive at the same opinion. But he was young, perhaps he has matured.

Since we are now into fitters, I have yet to see the equal of John Whooly. He uses an adjustable try gun and fine tunes the fit not only on a plate, but also on targets. IMO well worth checking him out if one desires a fit.

Over the years, as I developed my thinking on the subject, I have been fitted by Woolley, Batha, Bilinski, James, Ash, and I don't know who else. I took their numbers and decided for myself what works best. John's numbers come closest to my ideal fit for a sporter, and Chris's numbers work best for game guns.

But I have come to be surprised at how I, a mere mortal, can still shoot pretty much any gun just fine. Shooting in competition is a different matter, and that may have more to do with the head than the eyes.

As for Yardley, I shot with him in Chelmsford, and he was pretty buttoned up, but I enjoyed his company, and he knows a good curry when he finds one!

If you want to get really good, you need to shoot one gun. That is what I have heard from the experts. Just shooting one gun is something I am not going to do.

Absolutely!
Where is the fun in that!

A good part of the pleasure in owning a number of nice guns is having the right one for the particular shoot you're headed for. Each year I enjoy the rotation thru the gun safes of the various gauges and barrel/choke combinations I own for different game. Who wants to carry an 8# 12 ga. on a quail hunt??
Guns are a bit like dogs, they're all a bit different. Get to know them and you'll shoot them well (or sell'em off). One that's a stranger may take a while in the field to "warm up". This DOES give your companions some entertainment at your expense!