Fitting rifle stock to 7 year old- How to measure fit

[mjwcaster]

How do I measure stock fit before cutting it down.

I have the factory synthetic stock for my 10/22 (replaced with wood and a butt pad to fit me better).
I need to get a rifle for my daughter, but it's not happening any time soon and we need something that will fit her.
So I am going to hack the synthetic stock down and Bubba the heck out of it.
For a first run I am planning on using a shirt and black duck tape to finish the butt out of.
Maybe fill the stock with some spray on foam if I can find a can that is still good.

My real question is on measuring fit before I cut it down.
I'm sure I can figure it out, but there is always such good info on here I thought I'd ask before destroying anything.
The stock has just been laying around taking up space, so I don't care what happens to it, I just want Gracie to be able to actually shoot something, not have it in a rest and she just pulls the trigger.

The 10/22 has a scope on it right now, so I figure I will build up a cheek rest for her also.

Yes this will be a duck tape special, but I am a function over form kind of guy.

Happy New Year,

Matt Wehland

[casca]

greetings,
from Momence-
I would try to discourage making up a stock now Between 7- 11 they grow like weeds. I have a 7yr old model and a 11yr old model. I just waited until they where 10 and then started em up. If you really want to start em That CRICKET RIFLE is a great starter.

The way the wind seems to be blowing that 10-22 maybe come a very expensive gun to chop up. buy em more mags and save it for them later.

just my $.02
Happy new year.
casca

[nhrifle]

Something to think about. There are many adjustable stock kits out there that use the AR pattern stock. This would allow for years of growth and it's usually a drop in procedure. I agree with Casca above, if you make a definite stock length now, you will be adding to it later and often. The collapsible stock is just a matter of squeezing a lever and pulling it out another notch.

[Jim]

If I understand it correctly, the rule of thumb for establishing LOP in the distance from the inside of the bent elbow to the inside of the curled trigger finger.

[mjwcaster]

Something must have been lost in translation, so lets try again-

I am going to cut down a 10/22 factory synthetic stock to fit my daughter.

Does anyone have any tips on how to measure length before I start cutting?

Any tips for finishing?

Thanks for any tips and help. It will be a bubba special, but no need to make it worse looking than I have to.

----- More info for those who care ----

The synthetic stock has been sitting around since I bought the rifle, it does not fit me, it is useless to me, garbage, taking up space, worthless, no good, etc.

I am planning on getting her a rifle (Savage Rascal looks real nice, she likes the blue stock). But it will not be soon, I just don't have the money.
I do have a useless plastic stock laying around and I will be using it to make a rifle she can shoot.

The 10/22 stock is held in with one screw. That's it. I can change from my stock to hers with one screw. Not a big deal to me.
How could I screw up an expensive rifle when I can find take off stocks all day for $20-$30 or less?
And change them with one screw?
I am willing to deal with any POI change due to removing/changing stocks.

An adjustable stock is great, it's just that a decent one costs money. Money that I would use to buy her a rifle if I had it.

And yes children grow like weeds, if I had the money we have spent on shoes, clothes, coats, sports gear (the worst because it is barely used before too small), bed, everything that she outgrew etc. I could buy her a bunch of guns and ammo.
But it is just the nature of the game.
She went with us to the range before, but never wanted to shoot.
She wanted to shoot a few weeks ago so we went and she loved it. She has already spent her own birthday money on a brick of .22 ammo.
She has gotten mad at me because I haven't taken her back to the range yet. Gotta love that.

I owe it to her to get something that fits her better so she can enjoy our sport.
I will not put off any thing that she like to do if I can find a way to let her do it.
Basketball, soccer, volleyball, fishing, camping or even shooting.

I'm not trying to be rude, I just think that things weren't fully understood before.
She will be shooting this year and with a rifle that fits her better.

And hello to Momence from Manteno.

Matt

[Sweetpea]

I would be willing to bet that somebody here would be willing to send you a birch "carbine" stock for cheap, possibly free.

That would be much easier to just lop it off, and with the one for my son my wife put "checkering" on the butt with her woodburner.

Put an ad in the want to buy section, and see what happens.

[oneokie]

Re read post #4, Jim gives the time honored method of determing LOP.

[mjwcaster]

I read Jims post and just tried it and I'm confused (not hard to do, and the reason I ask for advice when I can)
I just measured Gracie from the inside of her bent elbow to the curve of her trigger finger and got 10"
So I did the same measurement on myself and got 13 1/2"

Now the distance on my wood stock from trigger to stock is 14 1/2" and it is still as least an inch shorter than I would like, but shoot able.
So I'm 2" off from the rule of thumb.


LOP is the distance from trigger to Butt, isn't it?

I guess I'll just cut the stock down a little and then test fit it.

Thanks,
Matt

[mjwcaster]

Ok I just remeasured myself and made sure my wrist was completely straight and got 14 1/2", just what my wood stock w/butt pad is.
The only issue is that the wood stock setup is still at least an inch shorter than I would like, more like an inch and a half.
So my measurement is still an inch to an inch and a half from what I feel works for me.

I'm happy I'm just playing with a synthetic throw away stock, if I mess up I won't feel bad at all, just another learning experience.

Matt

[Norbrat]

Here's a chart from "The NRA Gunsmithing Guide" published 1971, page 282 "Making a boy's rifle"

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8501/8336676379_a3eb1fa07d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/11260137@N07/8336676379/)

Hope it helps.

[RickinTN]

The crook of the elbow to the last joint in the trigger finger is a pretty good approximation. I fit young shotgun shooters, and the two would be more alike than different. One rule is that you should be able to put two to three fingers width between her nose and her trigger-hand thumb when the length is correct and she has the gun mounted. This is of course by trial and error, and taking a little off each time and testing. At her age, as mentioned, I would leave it a little long (maybe 4 fingers) as she is going to grow rather quickly. I've used moleskin from the drugstore (in the shoe-insert department) for building up the comb,and as she probably has a thin face this will probably be needed. The duct tape should work as well, but the moleskin is pretty sticky and is soft on the contact with her face side.
Good Luck,
Rick

[RickinTN]

I should have mentioned.....The moleskin is also pretty light as compared to duct tape, and the last thing you want to do is make the rifle heavier than necessary for the young shooters.
Good Luck again,
Rick

[Tokarev]

My kids one after another used Marlin 981T w/o any modifications. They started shooting at 7 and grew so quickly that inconvenience was hardly noticed. Don't bother.
When they were 14 and 15 I sold the gun as their chick bones became too wide and they could no longer use the irons w/o serious twisting of the necks.

[flounderman]

You need to see if you can trade the plastic stock for a wood stock and save the piece you cut off the wood stock and put it back on later. the hollow synthetic stock doesn't lend it'self to shortening very well. anybody that needs more than 14 1/2 inch length of pull needs to adjust his shooting stance or slide the scope ahead.. I finish my stocks at 13 1/2. with a wood stock you can slim the pistol grip down to where a small hand will wrap around it better. with the arm bent at right angles, set the butt in the angle and ideally, the first joint of the trigger finger should just contact the trigger. sliming down the pistol grip makes a world of difference in how a gun feels and a small hand holding the grip normally can't reach the trigger right with a thick pistol grip

[wv109323]

A couple years back, Ruger made a youth model of the 10/22. Shorter stock and shorter barrel. That info may be on their website if they still make it.

[rodm1]

I've looked all over for this kind of information I found this video to help. It's for a shot gun but I think they are similer fast forward to 1:38.

DucksUnlimitedInc - Basic Shooting Tips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ7QcyTbaNU

[pietro]

.

I would suggest you draw a line around the synthetic stock, as parallel to the original buttplate as possible, 10-1/2" from the center of where the trigger will be located & cut on the line.

(Save the cut-off piece for later re-installation with a short (2") wood filler, glued under the seam to hold both parts together.)

Use a rubber shoe/boot sole (not too rough) for a buttplate on the shortened stock - just glue it on and shave/trim the edges to fit.


As stated above, a youngster doesn't need a custom fit - just something they can actually shoot.


.

[country gent]

Heres what I do shortening a buttstock. First lay out and drill 2 1/4" holes one 3/4" inside of each stock screw ( do this before cutting. Drill 1" below where it will be cut.With dividers you can lay out Scribe a line following the original butt. scribe this line where you want to cut.Cut with a very thin fine blade. Save the piece you cut off and with the holes you first drilled and a couple dowel it can easily be reattached at a later date. A buttplate can be made from Brass, soft steel, plastic, rubber or evan heavy leather belting. Or an old used one can be reshaped also. A good set of dividers or tramels are very handy to have around.

[MtGun44]

Copied a kids BB gun that fit them well.

Bill

[Nickle]

If I understand it correctly, the rule of thumb for establishing LOP in the distance from the inside of the bent elbow to the inside of the curled trigger finger.

That's correct. That sets the nominal draw length.

I'll tell you to not modify the original stock (unless it's junky anyways), but to buy a beater and modify that. He'll grow enough for the original stock in short order, and you'll have the right one.

[practical_man]

Here's a chart from "The NRA Gunsmithing Guide" published 1971, page 282 "Making a boy's rifle"

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8501/8336676379_a3eb1fa07d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/11260137@N07/8336676379/)

Hope it helps.

Now that is a helpful chart! Thank you.

I have 3 little boys and will need this at some point. I can't imagine getting them to sit still enough to measure the elbow to trigger distance like adults do.

Thanks