Photo: Savage Arms
You would not ask someone to play a basketball game with shoes two sizes too large. The same logic applies to rifles and shooting. The rifle must fit the person who is shooting it. Problem was, shooting a gun that truly fit used to require the services (and expense) of a gunsmith.
No more.
Gun owners now have the ability to customize rifles themselves, including hunters and shooters who have historically been hamstrung by rifles that don't fit, namely women and kids. Savage Arms has reinvigorated a rifle series — Model 110 — with innovative functionality known as the AccuFit system. The rifles, equipped with this system, let shooters quickly adjust comb height and length-of-pull. Those features, among others, provide the fit and function of a custom rifle — right out of the box.
The Model 110 basically eliminates all the after-market running around for recoil pads, comb height add-ons and other accessories. The Model 110 rifles comes with four length-of-pull adaptors and five comb-height adaptors, plus the hardware you’ll need to adjust the rifle to fit your build.
Making adjustments for proper gun fit using the length-of-pull adaptors and comb-height adaptors only requires one tool: a Phillips screwdriver. Period.
Eyeball the number of adaptors you think you'll need and try a few combinations. Comb risers slide into place easily. After that, you just choose the right screw lengths (all screws are included with the system) and lock everything into place for your custom fit.
Gun Fit for Kids: It's a Moving Target
You might assume women typical shoot guns too big and too heavy for them, and you'd be right. But do you make the same assumption when it comes to kids and proper gun fit? If so, you'd be mistaken.
In most cases, kids end up shooting rifles that are too small for them. Think about it. Kids grow. Rapidly. Often, a well-meaning parent will buy a youth-model firearm for their son or daughter, only to find a short time later their child is shooting a gun that’s too small for them.
It’s true youth-model guns are firearms a child won’t be using very long. As such, quick and easy customization is the only real solution for fitting a child for a firearm when the child’s measurements are in constant flux. That’s where a system like Savage’s AccuFit really hits pay dirt. The stock can be shortened to 12.75” or expanded as a young person grows to 13.75”. A young shooter may use different AccuFit combinations, making multiple adjustments — not once — but several times throughout their childhood and teen years.
The custom fit created by these adjustments not only feels good but gives a shooter a solid cheek-to-stock connection and proper eye relief — which collectively add to improved, repeatable shooting form.
A Good Experience Equals Repeat Participation
Even more, it’s so critical that the fit is right for a shooter, especially a new shooter. And a key reason goes beyond accuracy. These firearms and hunting experiences are making first impressions. If you’re an avid, adult shooter or hunter and you’re hoping to go along on these adventures with a spouse, son or daughter, set them up for success. No one wants to get beat up by a gun, and no one wants to work at something that’s ultimately futile.
Shooters and hunters need to find a degree of success and consistent accuracy after putting in the work and practice to shoot well. This is made possible by proper gun fit and smart, innovative systems like AccuFit.
BONUS: Gun Fit Basics
Length-of-pull is the distance from the butt plate to the front of the trigger. When this distance is too long for a shooter’s body, the stock will catch on your shirt, just below the pectoral muscle. You’ll instinctively push the gun away from your body to shoulder it.
The comb, which is the top of the gun stock, must fit your facial structure. If the comb is too high, you’ll know it by feel. Plus, you won’t be able to get down on the gun enough to look down the barrel. Conversely, if the comb is too low, you’ll feel the gun stock against your upper molars when the gun is otherwise aligned properly. Or you may find yourself extending your neck to an awkward position to accommodate the low stock. A low comb can rise up and bite you during recoil.
If the pistol grip of the gun is too small, your hand will feel bunched up. If it’s too large, you’ll have trouble reaching the trigger properly. A grip that’s sized right will allow your shooting hand to align naturally, putting the trigger in the center of your index finger pad, halfway between the end of the finger and the first joint.
You can learn more about the Model 110 and the AccuFit system at Savage Arms.
