TargetTalk

I have just came back to my favorite sport after many of years, starting from scratch.
Using an Anschutz 1413, I have set up my gear as shown in the following image, this layout made me feel somewhat comfortable.


(Image above: 20 rounds, 50m prone)
can't say I am very disappointed by the results, yet the position of the butt plate seems strange to me.
I am a medium size shooter, body wise - nothing out of the average in all aspects.

1. What are you thoughts regarding the position of the butt plate?
2. I still feel that the butt plate is not very tight to my shoulder

(as a side note, this is my first post, I am very happy to find this great forum and I plan to contribute more in the near future)

Someone told me once that the top of the buttplate should be even with the cheekpiece. It looks like you are close. Of course, it doesn't work for me; we are all built different and each position is unique.

Mark

You say the butt plate doesn't feel tight. Do you mean you can place it in your shoulder easily and there seems to be space between the shoulder and the butt plate? If that is the case, move your handstop forward. This moves the butt plate further back into your shoulder.

The buttplate height looks OK. If you have a butt plate without a hook, you may want to try that for prone.

The feel of the butt in the shoulder isn't just influenced by the height, but by sling tension (itself affected by handstop position, sling length, sling height, jacket fit etc), butt length, the lateral position of the butt, cant, butt shape and hook position to name a few.

In terms of fit in the shoulder, I'd start with the length of the butt. I like to set it long enough that your trigger wrist is straight (and not all cramped up), but not so long that your cheekbone is at the back of the cheekpiece. I'd then set the handstop so the front of the grip is midway between the buttplate and handstop (+/- 1in).

The height doesn't look too bad for prone. I'd disagree that the top of the butt should always be level with the top of the cheekpiece; this isn't too far off with a basic plastic plate, but a Free Rifle hook butt is much taller, and the top is naturally higher. My rule of thumb with a hook-plate is to start with the middle of the plate level with the bottom of the fore-end, and then to adjust to suit arm/neck length and target height. The hook should be snug around the underarm/ribs, but not catch on the arm; more modern rifles that yours allow the whole plate to be adjusted sideways (and canted), so you don't have to lean your head over to reach the sights, and the hook itself can be angled so it's snug but not too tight.

I have a butt plate like yours and, in my opinion, the hook is very straight and prevents adjust the buttplate in the armpit.
Try another buttplate or use one without hook.

BR1942 wrote:I have a butt plate like yours and, in my opinion, the hook is very straight and prevents adjust the buttplate in the armpit.
Try another buttplate or use one without hook.

I would agree. The hook, if you use one, ought, in my experience, to be off-set (to the right for a right hander). But I am only a very average club shooter, so seek confirmation of my advice.

Cumbrian wrote: I would agree. The hook, if you use one, ought, in my experience, to be off-set (to the right for a right hander). But I am only a very average club shooter, so seek confirmation of my advice.

Roger, I'm not sure the hook absolutely must be offset. I think it must fit the individual, which may mean offset. If you look at the ISSF finals, many of the finalists have the hook straight, and some even have the hook angled leftwards. That said, the limited adjustment of the OP's rifle does prevent that personalisation.

Tim,

I'm sure you are right about it being an individual matter. Much as I now find I can't dispense with the off-set on my Gemini hand stop, but others seem perfectly happy without, or at least are content with the limited off-set provided by, say, the Centra hand stop.

Roger