Castoff

[Eric Smith]

Should castoff begin at the breech or at the beginning of the comb?

[Bernard]

I believe the rule is that it starts at the nose of the comb. But I like to run it up the wrist a bit more.

[rsells]

I have done it both ways, but have ended up starting the cast off at the beginning of the comb.  This enables me to line the trigger bar up with the center of the wrist of the stock and only bend the rear final of the triggergard to line it up with the center of the stock running back to the toe.  I can't tell a lot of difference in the finished rifle, but I guess I have a mental issue on having things in line when building the rifle!
                                                            Roger Sells

[Bernard]

I like to use a trigger plate that runs from under the rear of the forward trigger guard extension to the rear lug of the trigger guard. I bend the trigger plate and guard to follow the castoff. I believe it looks good and works well.

[Acer Saccharum]

I like to start thinking about castoff around the end of the lock panels. You can hide a 'bend in the stock' at the tail of the lock area better than you can in the middle of the wrist.

[flehto]

Do any of you "tilt" the toe of the buttplate back towards the centerline thereby minimizing the castoff of the toeline? I normally use 3/16" castoff and when the buttplate is "tilted", the buttplate's angle is hardly noticeable and the toeline is straight w/o castoff.....Fred

[Acer Saccharum]

That's a really good 'tip', Fred. Now it sounds like I'm making a pun, but seriously, that's a great concept.

[Acer Saccharum]

You can see the castoff here, but if I'd have tipped the toe, it would be almost invisible.

[James Rogers]

Maybe I am misunderstanding but it sounds like that would be creating a "toe-in" scenario which may be prettier but most need a little "toe out" or at least following the cast for a correct fit to the body.

[smylee grouch]

I'm wondering if the cast off/toe in would be of benifit to one type of shooting style more than another. As in off the shoulder/off the arm.  Smylee

[flehto]

Have shot many of my LRs w/ the  buttplate toe " tilt" and "feel" no difference  when shooting VS a toeline w/ castoff. Seeing it's only 3/16" castoff, it's not noticeable. Even when viewing the buttplate from the rear, it's not very evident.....Fred

[James Rogers]

Probably not as big of a deal with a rifle, light loads or possibly off the arm types as mentioned. Most noticeable for women and men with muscular pectorals or extra fat.

[flehto]

I shoot these LRs w/ big loads and shoot w/ the butt mounted on the chest...have never shot rifles off the upper arm. LRs w/   3/16" castoff w/ the toe "tilted" are very comfortable to shoot and didn't change my "mount" one iota......Fred

[Jerry V Lape]

Don't know what is PC, but on high end modern shotguns the toe is almost universally cast off more at the toe for comfortable mount. 

[Bentflint]

I put the bend at the tail of the lock panle too. Both of these guns have a ton of cast, the iron was stocked with a reject blank that had a bad bend and twist about 16" from the butt. It's easy to blend the cast at the panle, everything else falls into place.

[bama]

I have built them started at the end of the breech, at the wrist, at the nose of the comb and as Fred has discribed. They all did what they what cast off is supposed to do and this is to help line up your shooting eye with the sights.

The tilted butt plate I think is the easiest to do from a building stand point because it allows you to maintain a constant centerline along the bottom of the stock.

[Bentflint]

Starting at the tail of the lock is the most pleasing, just the way I feel. If you start at the comb the wrist is bent. If you start at the breech the tail of the lock is lopsided. If you look at my guns from bottom you might say "you're gun is bent", you might also say "you're ramod is bent" and I will say "You're ramrod fell fell out".

There is about 12 best ways. I just picked one.

[Bentflint]

I have never had a trigger gaurd (forged or cast) that didn't need tweeking. Straight is harder to hit than a well bent gun.

I still say, Will is right.