Shotgun bead question

[Jburke]

I have a little single shot 20 gauge that I carry in the truck when elk hunting.  The pattern is slightly high after checking.  It's mainly just a grouse gun so I've not put much effort in to fixing the issue.  Now my question is how to correct the issue?  If the gun patterns high on paper, how do I correct it?  Lower/shorter bead, or higher bead?

[724wd]

you would want the bead higher.  or just aim at their feet... 

[lokidog]

Try putting a thick redoil pad on it.  Sounds like the stock might be a little short??

[jackelope]

Try putting a thick redoil pad on it.  Sounds like the stock might be a little short??

That or comb height.

[JLS]

Try putting a thick redoil pad on it.  Sounds like the stock might be a little short??

That or comb height.

What these guys said.  Are you getting the gun correctly shouldered and it still patterns high?  Are you properly shouldering it for shotgun shooting, or are you shouldering it like a bolt action rifle?

[wildweeds]

Shotguns ain't rifles man you point them you don't aim em,you shouldn't be focusing on the bead.Check your fit,close your eyes and mount the gun,open the eyes,if you see a bunch of rib and the bead,add length with the pad till you can see straight off the end of the barrell.If your seeing the back of the hump and blue sky you need to buck some off,till you see straight down the barrell.I grew up shooting shotguns that didn't fit,I've got a single shot 20 that don't fit,most times I ain't even got the thing on my shoulder,I'm holding it in two hands and looking down it.I hit with it but it does need some length added to it.Single shot 20's are designed for starter guns for youngsters and that's why they are almost always a little on the short side IMO.

[wadu1]

All of the above are good, I would be looking for a new gun like a Perezzi, Razinne or a Balzer if you had the $$$

[Fishaholic]

Try putting a thick redoil pad on it.  Sounds like the stock might be a little short??

That or comb height.

What these guys said.  Are you getting the gun correctly shouldered and it still patterns high?  Are you properly shouldering it for shotgun shooting, or are you shouldering it like a bolt action rifle?

How does one shoulder a shotgun properly?

[wildweeds]

I was taught to force weapon out toward target on the raise and pull it back into the shoulder all the while getting your swing on,need to have the wood on the wood to break or kill.

Try putting a thick redoil pad on it.  Sounds like the stock might be a little short??

That or comb height.

What these guys said.  Are you getting the gun correctly shouldered and it still patterns high?  Are you properly shouldering it for shotgun shooting, or are you shouldering it like a bolt action rifle?

How does one shoulder a shotgun properly?

[JLS]

Try putting a thick redoil pad on it.  Sounds like the stock might be a little short??

That or comb height.

What these guys said.  Are you getting the gun correctly shouldered and it still patterns high?  Are you properly shouldering it for shotgun shooting, or are you shouldering it like a bolt action rifle?

How does one shoulder a shotgun properly?

http://www.outdoorhub.com/how-to/shotgun-mount-the-foundation-of-successful-wingshooting/

This is a pretty good article, with a good photo.  Think of a shotgun as a horn growing out of your outer pectoral area.  It should not go on the deltoid area, and it should be relatively perpendicular to the plane of body across the shoulders.

[Jburke]

Well all could be possibilities but I'm leaning towards the stock being the issue.  It's not a stock that I can replace, so I will just try to make sure to aim low.  It's a dedicated truck gun that only gets use if I'm putting around.  I don't use it for anything else.

[RadSav]

I've had more than one Browning Citori barrel sent to have it bent for POI change.  I could have probably done the same thing with a wood rasp and some Bondo, but that was too much to bare with the beautiful Citori wood.  Each time the guns came back perfect!  The trapsmith I sent them to in Reno has since retired.  But, I bet there are plenty of local trap/skeet shooters around that will know someone you can trust.

Too bad you are not in Seattle as I do have a good contact there.  I know no one out Spokane way so can't help you there.  I'd make a visit to the local trap & skeet club and ask around.  Might take a while to find someone who is not a pretentious jack arse, but nice helpful folks do exist around those places if you look hard enough

I second wildweeds method to shoulder a shotgun right.  Out, then straight in to the shoulder.  If you shoulder like a rifle you will almost always see a high POI and more often than not the right hand shooter will be left also.

Only time I ever see my bead is when I shoulder the gun at the store.  Some reference it a lot.  I just never found the need to.

[JLS]

Well all could be possibilities but I'm leaning towards the stock being the issue.  It's not a stock that I can replace, so I will just try to make sure to aim low.  It's a dedicated truck gun that only gets use if I'm putting around.  I don't use it for anything else.

You should be able to shim it rather easily.