Andy,
My wife got me a gun fitting for my christmas present. I had the initial fit probably 3 weeks ago. The man is very well known in gun fitting circles in the u.s. The first year I hunted with my new bird dog was 3 years ago I used a beretta over under 20 gauge. I shot a lot of grouse and woodcock with that gun. I have since purchased 2 fox and 1 parker 16 gauge shotguns. I have hunted 2 years with the older guns exclusively and have not shot very well at all. My neck is so short that if I put the stock right under my cheekbone, I cannot see the barrel at all with any of my 4 guns. The beretta has a 2" drop at face, the older guns are 2 1/8 or 2 3/16. According to my initial gun fitting I need a minimum drop at face of 1 7/8. If I leave the gunstock barely touching my cheek on the beretta then i can shoot it well. I have to lift my face completely off the stock to see on the older guns. My cheek sets farther down the stock (where its even lower) because my neck is so short. I shot competitive archery years ago and had a high average shooting with fingers, not a release and the one constant you had to have in archery is a good solid anchor point. The gun fitter has try guns that are over under and side by side, and he has several of both. I am 5'8" tall and about 200 pounds since covid started (I quit playing tennis) Most newer guns have a high enough drop at face that I can shoot them quite well, my choice is to wait and find an older gun with the correct drop at face, or shoot a newer gun. Right away the gun fitter told me he would give me the name of a stock builder that could build a stock with the correct drop. He was not trying to sell me a gun, he knows how much I like the old shotguns. I will wait and find an older gun that is similar to my drop in face (it doesnt have to be down to the exact measurement. The gun fitter said 1 3/4 to 1 7/8 and ideal would be 1 13/16. The other problem is barrel regulation, this gun fitter checks his customers barrel regulation now on the gun they shoot. If the customer and fitter go through the process and the customer doesn't shoot better, thats why he checks barrel regulation. I believe I read there are only 3 companies that check barrel regulation before sending a new shotgun out. If you got a gun fitting and one barrel is shooting 8 inches low at 20 yards then thats a problem. I hope this helps, your welcome to message me and I will explain further its easier to talk on phone than type all this
