You’ll shoot better and experience less perceived recoil if you’re shooting a gun that fits, and finding a gun that fits two of my kids has been particularly challenging. My oldest daughter at the tender age of 13 is already 6-foot 4 inches tall but too willowy to hold the weight of a gun with the 16-inch stock she needs. My youngest son, on the other hand, is positively tiny and strong as an ox, but almost unable to reach the trigger even on a “youth” model shotgun.
When my kids were really little, I had a 28-gauge side-by-side cut down and scaled to toy gun proportions and it worked great, but they’ve since outgrown it. It used to be easier to make a stock shorter than longer because there were plenty of gunsmiths who would slice off as much as necessary and fit a new recoil pad. Good gunsmiths are harder to find now, so these days it’s easier to make a stock longer by adding aftermarket slip-on pads or spacers between the stock and the recoil pad.
![Guns need to fit the shooter](https://john1911.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/DSCN0821-0003-e1441884471951-225x300.jpg)
Lately, gun manufacturers are really taking stock fit seriously and you see that in the abundance of new guns with adjustable stocks. I recently switched the kids over to a Mossberg 500 FLEX because I can change the stock on it instantly so that the boy has a 13 ¼-inch, and the girl a 16 pull. Because there is no gas handling components inside the fore end, it’s light enough that they both handle it with ease and without getting tired.
![Mossberg Flex Shotgun](https://john1911.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/DSCN0707-0000-300x225.jpg)
If you’re having trouble hitting clay targets, or think your gun kicks too much, go to a gunshop where they understand length of pull, get measured and use the correct length. Your scores will improve, and you’ll be more comfortable shooting.
Scott Mayer
www.tacticaltshirts.com
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