Just another DAH question
 

To be frank I've never worried too much about it as long as it didn't run to extremes, but I got into a DAH discussion on another forum and I started to wonder: What is your preferred DAH, and how much are you comfortable with up or down? Realizing of course that other measurements can factor in as well.

I just measured several of my guns (all vintage; I understand modern guns are likely to have less drop) and found they vary from about 2-3/4" to a high of 3-1/4" on one; most around 2-7/8" to 3".

Phil, im comfortable at 2 3/8" -2 1/2". I could go to as low as 2", as I have done on my Fox 16 straight stock and make it work. Guess it depends how much you like the gun, haha.

I don’t pay a lot of attention to drop. I can comfortably shoot anything from about 2 3/8” to more than 3 1/2”. I just accustom myself to a gun by mounting it a few times quickly so I’ll know where my cheek and facial bones should rest when I bring it up to shoot.





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My preference is 2 1/2, +/- 1/8.

What suits me is when I mount the gun and the two beads stack like an hourglass (in the case of a two bead gun, obviously. In the case of a gun with just the forward bead I'd be seeing just a tiny amount of rib surface). That usually results in the gun shooting flat for me, or maybe 60/40 high, which is fine. I do not like a really high shooting gun, like 80/20 or more. I've shot too much in my life with guns that shoot where I'm looking to try to adapt my style to a high shooting gun caused by too little drop. And, I refuse to "float" the bird over the muzzles to center the pattern of a high shooting gun. Doing that may be easy for a straight-in or straight-away bird. But, it's much harder to accomplish on a hard crosser that requires 6 feet of forward allowance.

I realize that there are vast differences in facial structure (how high the cheekbone is, etc.) that can make a gun shoot different for different people. It's tough for me to shoot well with anything less than 2 3/8" DAH, and even then I have to cheek it harder than normal. 2 1/2" to 2 5/8" is about perfect for me.

All my comments above concern shooting sporting clays or game. Trap would prolly be a whole 'nuther ball game.

I’m with Stan regarding “adapting” to a gun. I’ve shot too many targets over the years to have to change how I mount a gun due to stock dimensions. I’ll buy a gun that is stocked high. I will take the stock down to what I need for drop. Making a comb higher is an entirely different ball game. A gun stocked too low is a hard pass for me.

Once I discovered my best shooting comes from 1 5/8 by 2 5/8 drops, I reduced my collection to only those fitting these needs. I now shop just for those drops, with one few exception like my Beretta 627 EL. It's pretty enough I don't care how it fits.. :rotf:
Mattly

I have found anything straighter than 2 3/8 doesn't work well, prefer 2 1/2. More drop is easier to accommodate than less for me, up to 2 7/8 or 3. Beyond that is a challenge.

For bird hunting between 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 and 1 5/8 - 2 3/4. That seems to be the sweet spot. For clays much higher.