Gunfit

Hi All,

So for the past year I have been shooting my Browning ultra xs pro. It fit me well straight out of the box. It comes with three different size inflex buttpads. The middle size was fitted. It comes with stock and barrel weights to change the balance to your liking. So far I had not used them.

As I said, the gun seemed to fit me well straight out of the box. I didn't even have to alter the adjustable comb. The balance of the gun was exactly at the hinge pin out of the box. I  am using the gun mainly for skeet and some sporting clays. I always shoot from the gun down position.

Since it is winter and I am shooting with multiple layers of clothing, last week I thought that it would help to fit the shorter pad to the gun. Also, I added about 85gr of weigh to the back of the stock. (two 20gr weight on the special 45gr boltsystem.

Saturday I did a couple of rounds of skeet (using 24grs7 steelshot like always). I liked the changes to the gun. Perceived recoil was slightly more, but I think that makes sense with a thinner recoil pad. It mounted slightly easier.

Then Yesterday I shot some sporting clays with the gun in its new set up. Using 28grams 6 steel shot I suddenly noticed that when I needed to do a quick second shot at a far crossing target that was now not possible anymore. The barrels bounce up a lot at the first shot (bottom barrel first), which stops the swing somehow dead, making it impossible to hit anything with the second barrel.

Now I wonder what causes this?

Is it bad gun fit (pitch) that I never noticed before because of the thicker recoil pad?

It it this 85 grams of weigh that I have added to the back of the stock that makes the gun slightly stock heavy? It balances about 1/4 of an inch to the rear of the hinge pin now?

I would be happy to learn what you guys think.

I would say take the weights out and try again, when setting up a gun do one thing at a time and try it out,  I also use a "winter" pad with thicker clothes at this time of year to stop me feeling I'm stretching 

I guess I could try that!

Hi Joost,

First thing that comes to my mind is that between the thinner pad and thicker clothing items you are probably making different contact with the heel of the gun. Not necessarily at a different pitch (unlikely with two of the OEM stock pads for the same gun), but possible losing a bit of contact higher up because of the layers of clothing. Compare with your ‘normal’ clothes for our lovely Dutch climate and accomodate accordingly- and if contact is different, try shifting the pitch to compensate. 

Good one Luke, will try that as well!

Too bad that all of the grounds around me close for two weeks at least after this weekend.