Making Guns Fit Like A Glove

When using a rifle or a pistol, size and weight matters if you want to ace. 

A rifle is great when you are hunting bears or deer. In countries where hunting is legally allowed, this can be a sport that can be enjoyed by just about anyone including the kids and ladies. However, rifles and guns were not initially intended for their use. Since the adult male population originally dominated the sport, most of the firearms produced were made for their fit. What then is the option for the younger ones and the women who want to hunt and try out the sport? Should they just make do then with the ready-made options available to them?

Importance of Getting the Right Fit

A gun is like a precious engagement ring. If you purchased the right size, you should be able to use this for a very long time (unless of course you accidentally lose it). When the ring is too tight, it could end up hurting you, blocking circulatory movement from your finger. A loose ring is just as bad. This could easily fall off and if this happens, it would be like purposefully throwing a precious 8 karat princess cut diamond in the garbage bin. The same can be said about guns. So why is it important to get one that offers a great fit?

1. Lesser bruises. Women and children tend to have smaller builds compared to adult males. Rifles tend to recoil when shot. If you are holding one that is much too strong or too big for you build, then you could easily have bruises on your shoulder. While the right gun fitting may not guarantee its total eradication when hunting, it will make a big difference on how bad the bruises are.
2. Better aim. Many people complain that they can’t seem to get the shot they need in order to bring home a game. They say that they can’t see where they are shooting at because the stock keeps on getting in the way or that the sight is useless since these are always not in conjunction with their real shots. This is a sign that the rifle being used is not the perfect fit. When a firearm is made in such a way that is meant only by its user, aim could greatly improve.
3. Prevent accidents. If you are not strong enough to handle the recoil of your rifle, this has the tendency to shoot upwards, possibly injuring your face. By simply having your gun altered to fit your physique, you will be able to prevent this. Just as the angle of the cock is important if you want to lessen rifle recall, gun fit is also applicable in smaller guns. There are some guns that may be just too stout for your dainty hands to hold and with their equally chubby triggers this may result to accidental firing.

Understanding Gun Fitting Basics

Be warned that gun fitting services can be costly.  From the time of purchase up to the time of visiting a gunsmith service business, these are some of the things that you need to consider. 

• Eye dominance in shooting. Now, before you purchase a gun, one of your eyes will most likely offer better vision and this should be used during shooting sessions. If you’re a lefty and you have a left dominant eye, then you should get a left-handed gun. For those who are right-handed and have a right dominant eye, a right-handed gun will be suitable. The problem now lies for those whose eyes and hand-coordination do not match. The option for this is to learn to shoot with the other hand or close the dominant eye to force the weaker eye to see the target.

• Getting the right dimensions. There are several parts of the gun that need to be fitted accordingly. For smaller guns, one of the things that you should be taking into account is if the gun sits in parallel to your arm when holding its trigger. If you are struggling to reach the trigger and the gun is directed in a sideways motion when you are holding this, this could result to greater recoil. Instead of getting a larger model, you may be better off using a compact handgun. Now for rifles, these can be altered through gun fitting services. For this, you might be asked to try a dummy gun for the gunsmith’s reference. Alterations may not be achieved in a single try and several modifications may be needed before you can get the perfect stock length or bend.

• Weight matters. Aside from length, you also need to get a gun that is not too heavy for you. What is the use of buying a pair of stiletto made of gold if you won’t be able to walk around the ballroom’s winding staircase because you would probably end up tripping due to the added weight? Before you make a firearm purchase, make sure that you are able to carry these around even if you intend to have this altered through a gunsmith. This will allow you to maintain your balance when aiming for that game.

• Choose comfort over aesthetics. Now, it can be tempting to buy a gun that looks like a fashionista’s dream but always choose function over the visual aspects of your firearm. There is nothing wrong with a pink rifle. However, never sacrifice comfort and function over artistic features. Try this out first and if it does feel great, then that should only be the time that you give in to the temptation.

Aaron Mulligan is a gun enthusiast who loves to engage in hunting activities together with his friends. He shares his love for this sport through his articles in Gun Mate and in other blogs, educating readers and exchanging information with other bloggers like us.

* Gun image courtesy of the New Art Work Blog, image by Andy Warhol.