Straight Stock and Pitch

[Dean Romig]

Actually Harry, pitch is not determined by the amount of DAH but instead by the angle of the stock butt (where the buttplate is attached) in relation to the line of the barrels. A ninety degree angle (barrels perfectly perpendicular to the butt) would yield a pitch of 0".

[Bill Murphy]

Dean's explanation is the simplest. Parker actually made custom stocks using the three measurements from the butt to the trigger without mentioning pitch. Comfortable feeling bird guns can have pitch from one to two inches on 28 or 30 inch barrels. Guns with zero or negative pitch will slip off the shoulder on firing and a gun with more than 2 1/2" of pitch will recoil into your face.