Gun fit advice

Beretta V

Well-Known Member
Hi guys,

After a bit of advice. I have a Beretta V
I can shoot ok with it. It’s been fitted to me a couple of times but it really kicks me in my cheek.
Anyone else get this? I’ve had several different guns over the years and none have done this.
I’m at the point where I will probably change it as it’s not a pleasant shooting experience.
It feels right when mounting it but it just boots me in the face!
I appreciate any advice
Regards Dan
 
Could also be a little short causing ’hunching’ +/- £200 at a decent gunsmith will allow for fitting check, cast and a longer butt pad (the beretta microcell are great) if needed. Make sure they take you out on clays not just pattern plate
 
A couple of reasons possible but most likely will be too little contact with your cheek on triggering. Imagine someone placing a fist on your cheek and throwing a punch from there. It can only be a push. Leave a gap and then it turns into a punch which will hurt more.

Reference cast, there are 2 dimensions or even 3 to be correct, at the point your cheek meets the stock, where the heel sits in your shoulder and where the toe sits, the later two dimensions making up pitch relative to barrel line.

The shape of the comb where your cheek sits can also create issues with recoil. Many of the world's professional shooters have this area of the comb contoured to ensure that with recoil, the comb slides on the cheek rather than impacts.. There are also many that will not want to contour the stock for fear it'll affect resale or the look but of course if you want to get the best out of a tool, it needs to be customised to suit. Buying a new gun or stock is pointless because to find I stock that eventually fits better will take a long time and will require each and every gun to be shot. The reason that they will need to be shot is that in most cases, dry mounting a gun in a shop or at home will most likely not reflect on what happens in the field or on the range where the pressure of targets or game will result in different stock contact, especially taking shots to each side and at differing elevations.

Don't change gun, just have someone who knows a bit about gun fit (which discounts most gun shops), take a look.
 
Like I have said I’ve had it fitted twice!
The stock has been cast and lengthened to fit me.
I’m not sure if I’m in a bad habit with it or it’s poor fitting.
I’m visiting a shop at the weekend so I will get some advice
 
Like I have said I’ve had it fitted twice!
The stock has been cast and lengthened to fit me.
I’m not sure if I’m in a bad habit with it or it’s poor fitting.
I’m visiting a shop at the weekend so I will get some advice
As I said, most shops are useless when it comes to gun fit, you may as well call into your local Spar for advice.
I had a cousin who was offered a gun that “fitted him”, by a famously large gun outlet and “gunsmiths”, checked by seeing him mount it to his shoulder in the shop. It was a Beretta 686 sporter, right handed with appropriate palm swell. He asked me to take a look for my opinion, but after maybe all of 2 seconds, I advised not to buy it. He was left handed, left eye dominant and yes he could force himself to look straight down the rib but it was obviously completely wrong for him.
This was a well known shop that had sold and fitted 1000’s of guns to that same standard.
I have a colleague who bought and had fitted a Perazxi MX2000 sporter for both driven and clays from another well known gun shop a few years ago that does not fit him. When I say fitted, measurements were taken in the shop and given to Perazzi to make the stock, but again if you really want a stock that fits, you may as well get it done properly with someone other than a shop that knows what thay are talking about.
 
A couple of reasons possible but most likely will be too little contact with your cheek on triggering. Imagine someone placing a fist on your cheek and throwing a punch from there. It can only be a push. Leave a gap and then it turns into a punch which will hurt more.

Reference cast, there are 2 dimensions or even 3 to be correct, at the point your cheek meets the stock, where the heel sits in your shoulder and where the toe sits, the later two dimensions making up pitch relative to barrel line.

The shape of the comb where your cheek sits can also create issues with recoil. Many of the world's professional shooters have this area of the comb contoured to ensure that with recoil, the comb slides on the cheek rather than impacts.. There are also many that will not want to contour the stock for fear it'll affect resale or the look but of course if you want to get the best out of a tool, it needs to be customised to suit. Buying a new gun or stock is pointless because to find I stock that eventually fits better will take a long time and will require each and every gun to be shot. The reason that they will need to be shot is that in most cases, dry mounting a gun in a shop or at home will most likely not reflect on what happens in the field or on the range where the pressure of targets or game will result in different stock contact, especially taking shots to each side and at differing elevations.

Don't change gun, just have someone who knows a bit about gun fit (which discounts most gun shops), take a look.
There are a couple of factors, poor mount as not mounting in the same place each time then you will get a slap also as I have seen this loads of times in gun shops is people trying a gun in a summer shirt then come the winter extra layers thicker coat is different to the summer ""that fits you well" sales pitch.
Like Cheek weld on a rifle it needs to be the same so you get a clean sight picture, I shoot right hand rifles as from 14 I shot the same .22lr I have to day also .303's are not lh so I have RH rems so have adapted but Left cast shotguns.
@Beretta V
 
It may not have enough cast and you've gotten into a habit of rolling your face over the comb a touch. If the cast is right for you you should not have to move your head towards the stock.
If you're broad shouldered you will need a fair amount of cast.
If the folk doing the fitting didn't notice you craning your neck then they it should be pointed out to them!
Does the above have a bearing on your situation??
 
Fit is all. And as said, most gunshops are rubbish. Go to a GOOD ground where they have adjustable stock, fire at the plate and they then move everything to fit correctly, then you will have you measurements and it should work for you.

I went to one place and said I hit my ear muffs on the stock, the instructor said, yeah, I have the same issue so went to earplugs. :rolleyes:.

someone who knows what they are doing will make a huge difference.
 
Your lifting your head.

I’m the same - 70/80s at the clay round - I can do the maths and know where to shoot them but doesn’t matter what I shoot ((Aya, ATA, Browning, Beretta, Miriko, etc) - still beats the s**t out of my cheek after numerous top end fittings.

First clay bird not so bad, second one that gets you.

Try a bit of Vaseline to help it slide rather than thump your cheek.

Shout if you ever find a solution. 👍
 
You will hear the term “cheek weld”, which I think implies firm pressure. This is not necessary and depending on physiology and gun, maybe detrimental.
3 of the last 4 Olympic Skeet Gold medals was won by an acquaintance, arguably the best performance of any clay target shooter living or past, done with minimal contact between face and stock. If anyone says it has to be firm pressure, they have a limited knowledge of high performance shooting.

When it comes to Vaseline, keep it for alternative uses 🤫
 
Put a finger full of Vaseline on your cheek and go and shoot at fifty clays. The comb on Berettas are in my findings thicker/wider than most shotguns. It's what I did and eventually I seemed to get over the problem of getting a belt. The problem with getting a smack on the face with a poor gun mount or a totally ill fitting gun is that you start to flinch, which leads to the golfing equivalent of the yips.👍
 
Don't go down the vaseline route 😤

I worked with someone who had stocks fitted at the Perazzi factory, with Beretta, Essevierre and Gamba before I had an involvement. Vaseline was the norm and the only thing that partly helped until I was asked to help have a stock made by Essevierre for a Bereta Ultralight and game shooting. We had it made by them to our dimensions and could then throw away the vaseline after suffering for maybe 20 years. I then had a stock made again to Essevierre to fit the competition gun with no issues and no need to grease up. Had many other stocks made and have had no issues with any.

No point in trying to mask issues with grease when the underlying cause should be corrected.
 
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