Length Matters it seems….

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General Skanky

Well-known member
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Jul 22, 2024
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Simple thing really.

I have -

Beretta 694 32”
Beretta A400 Xcel sporting 30”
Beretta A400 Upland 30”

As you can see from the two photos. With the end of the stocks lined up the 694 is substantially shorter.

When you line up the end of the recoil pads it still is but not so much.

I am 6’3”.

Ref gun fit.

No wonder I find the semi autos easier to fit. The length helps with my eye placement.

Always knew a semi was 2” more than an O/U, but to me it feels more like 4”.

Thoughts?
 

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btw, the angle of the photo etc may not be perfect, not a photographer, but the principle still stands.
 
Not sure I understand what you’re saying ??? A auto has a substantially longer action so the barrel length becomes untrue but this wouldn’t have any impact on fit
 
It does on the view.

My eye is higher on a shorter barrell.

Add length and it is better.

Just highlighting that my semis are far longer than I thought compared to the 694 which needs an extra spacer to bring my eye into line.
 
I'm also a little unclear what barrel length has to do with the fit.

I'd be more interested in the difference in LOP and (in particular) the difference from heel to grip which is quite significant.

The autos appear to have more drop in comb (at face) but that might be just the photos.
 
They do as I had to shim them down and cast to the right.

What I’m saying is without the shim and extra length on the pads etc the guns do not fit me.

They all do now but I was pointing out how different the overall length is between them.

The autos are longer and fit the easiest.
 
You should also check your distance between grip, stock end and trigger.
Seems to be different between your Autos and the 694.
 
IMHO as a journeyman plodder and end user of guns for 50 years , your 694 is probably only £ 300 - 500 away from being a real weapon . I’ve just got an ( sideplated ) o/u gun back from JF Wiseman’s , all the dimension mods required from a professional gunfit were carried out including a new leather covered recoil pad ( it’s a game gun ) and rebalancing . The work has been beautifully done with real craftsmanship for around £350. So factor in a gunfit fee shooting clays to check your mount and determine what needs changing . you might be at £500 max . With a single miss on clays costing £0.70 average you’ll soon get payback .

I might sound a bit evangelistic, but the one thing I do know when I miss is it’s down to me , not the tools .
 
Although I'm not entirely sure about what you are saying, all I can say is, in my opinion, gunfit is critical. Week in and week out, I watch people trying to shoot guns that are a dreadful 'fit'. There are really only 2 courses of action, one is to follow MartinB and go the whole hog, alternatively follow my 'Blue Peter' approach. Either way the end result is a gun that fits and as such, is much nicer to shoot.
 

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General Skanky said:
It does on the view.

My eye is higher on a shorter barrell.

Add length and it is better.

Just highlighting that my semis are far longer than I thought compared to the 694 which needs an extra spacer to bring my eye into line.
Click to expand...
Line of sight is relative to the rib/comb relationship. Barrel length has nothing to do with it.
 
So Basically what you've done is lengthen the stock on the O/U and moved your head further back when mounted to where there is less height as it slopes down from the barrel end to the pad end.
May work on eye placement alone but will introduce a multiple of other issues.

If your finding you can't take the height out using the adjustable comb which are pretty low when at the lowest setting and will cater for 99% of people for how high the eye is, I'd go and see an instructor.

Absolutely nothing to do with barrel length.
 
Yes I have moved my head placement which brings my eye to the right position. I now shoot and hit well and have done for quite some time. No other issues.

I guess last night it was the first time I’d laid them down side by side and was just commenting on the obvious differences.

That’s all.
 
Well out on a shoot as I type.

The semis in my hands shoot way better than the 694.

Take from that what you will.
 
General Skanky said:
Well out on a shoot as I type.

The semis in my hands shoot way better than the 694.

Take from that what you wil
Click to expand...

Hard to tell, but from the above I infer that your eye placement is off (in relation to the rib) and the different lengths of the guns either mitigate this or make it worse. Sort that issue and you'll shoot better for it and with less influence by the guns individual characteristics. That said, I'll be the first to offer a good home to an obviously worthless 694 :cool:
 
Hahaha. The Transfer List is always lurking in the background.

I think what it is, is on the semis, once setup to my liking, my eye and head fall into the ‘right’ place. Then I shoot quite well.

With an OU it’s a different story. Not bad but then not as good as the semis. Been the same across all guns I tried. Just my build. I’ll go with too mighty. 😀

I know I can get a gun made to fit etc but then the budget is the decider. I would have loved a Rizzini when I bought the 694, but the costs to get it tweaked afterwards pushed it too far.

Plus I’m all set up for Berettas with pads and spacers and chokes etc.
 
Luke_(NL) said:
Hard to tell, but from the above I infer that your eye placement is off (in relation to the rib) and the different lengths of the guns either mitigate this or make it worse. Sort that issue and you'll shoot better for it and with less influence by the guns individual characteristics. That said, I'll be the first to offer a good home to an obviously worthless 694 :cool:
Click to expand...
I did have a moment pondering swapping the 694 for another semi so you never know…….
 
Although I struggle to live with a Beretta, it is not for the want of trying. I have a Beretta 303 semi auto, which I shoot very well with, with no mods at all, other than changing the solid red rubber thing that Beretta stuck on the back of the 'sporter' model. Stock L.O.P. 14 1/2", standard drop. Last year I had a 694, when I was looking for a lighter gun than my ProSport. I stuck it for 6 months and hated it. I traded it for a 725 Sporter. I then had the chance to buy a Classic Doubles Trap gun, which although over 30 years old, had not fired 1000 cartridges. I am now shooting that with reasonable success, the stock of which is pictured above. So as and when you find a gun that you can shoot, hang onto it.
 
General Skanky said:
Well out on a shoot as I type.

The semis in my hands shoot way better than the 694.

Take from that what you will.
Click to expand...
Although it is extremely difficult to judge from pics., the stock on the 694 certainly looks longer. If that is the case, your head position will alter, this will affect eye/rib location. Get it checked out professionally, it will be money well spent. Getting rid of the 694 may not be a bad thing either ! 😊
 
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