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LOP adjustment for 97 shotgun


Snake-eye, SASS#45097

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I need to decrease the LOP of my 97 by 3/4" and add a recoil pad. I'm not much into woodworking but after watching some online videos, I think I might be able to do this job. Grinding the pad to fit I can manage. Cutting the stock is the real question. The end of the stock is curved where the butt plate is attached and I can't figure how to measure and mark the new cut line which would make the end of the stock straight. Any suggesting other than sending it out to a shop that does this?

Thanks in advance

Snake-eye

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If you are going to put a recoil pad on it, then any slight curve at the rear of the stock will be removed in the process.

 

Make your mark with a rule from the trigger to the center of rear of the stock. This will be your length of pull. Using a square on the top of the stock mark you straight line to the mark. Varying the angle of the line will determine the drop of the stock. (Some cowboys like as much as 5 degrees or more. Be sure to wrap the stock in tape where you are making the cut to reduce damage. I use a band saw with a sliding table.

Level the stock sideways prior to sawing. If you do not level it, the stock will be cast incorrectly and change the shot pattern left or right depending on the angle.

Edited by Ace_of_Hearts
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It's such a simple job for a gunsmith to get right, and hard enough to explain (when you add in the 5 degree toe-in angle to keep the muzzle slightly down when the gun is mounted to your shoulder) that your best bet is probably to visit a smith who knows cowboy guns. Cowboy Carty sounds like he would be close to you.

 

 

Actually, grinding the pad is the TOUGH part. The videos may make it look easy, but most folks ruin their first pad (or even two) as they sand them down.

 

Now, if you want to proceed on your own, here's one of many ways that work.

 

Figure out what Length of Pull you want from trigger face to recoil pad face. Most folks are faster with a shorter pull than on normal shotguns.

 

To make the measuring easier, I like to fasten / clamp / tape a flat piece of plywood to the receiver extending back to the butt, and affix the butt to the board too. Take your desired finished LOP (maybe 13.5 inches) and subtract the thickness of the new pad at it's center (mounting plate to the pad surface, most pads about 1" or so), thus maybe you end up with 12.5 inches of wood to be left between trigger and the mounting plate. Mark stock at the center line between top (heel) and bottom (toe) of the stock end, measuring back from trigger. Your straight cut for the recoil pad should go through that mark. Almost all cowboy gun smiths will then build in a 5 degree slope (toe in) for that cut. Tape a straight edge (yardstick works) to the top of receiver so it matches the sight plane you sight the gun through. If you used a square to mark a 90 degree cut with the long edge of the square held on the yardstick and the line going thru the mark on the stock, you would have 0 degree toe in. Get a protractor and adust so you get a 5 degree angle from the inner corner of the square (the angle opens as you move down toward the toe of the stock. Slide the square and protractor to get to the length mark you made, and draw your cut line.

 

When you cut, stay on the waste side of that line, and cut so that the cut is "square" ACROSS the thickness of the stock. This usually means you should build a jig for your tablesaw that you can affix the stock to, so the stock center line is parallel to the surface of the table saw table. You DO NOT want the stock to slide even a little in that jig - so you get a straight and square-across cut. Tape with good masking tape and use a sharp fine tooth carbide saw and feed it slow to avoid stock wood tear out.

 

Then, you can fit and mount up your new pad.

 

Good luck, GJ

Edited by Garrison Joe, SASS #60708
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I have done this with great results. Doing it yourself gives you a real appreciation of what it takes to get it to the standard that you will accept. And, that is why I send it to a smith these days.

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Use a miter saw for the cut.......Place the stock with top of the comb against the back fence .....A small wedge to keep the stock from moving and measure and cut......Put a wrap of masking tape where the pad meets the stock and grind away without touching the tape. Hard to explain without photos but I have only done about 25 or 30 for my pards. Pm me with yer phone # if you would like and I might be able to give you a better explanation.........Bandit

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