My BPS shoots way high -- help me out

LeviSS

LeviSS

New member
I have a Browning BPS 10 guage that has shot high since day one. It is a goose and turkey gun. With the bead on it shot about 10 inches high at 30 yards. I bought a set of Tru-glo Pro Magnum Gobble Dot sights that are adjustable, so I thought that they might help. I have the rear sight slid to the back of the slide adjuster, to the lowest point, even hanging off about a quarter of the rail, but it still shoots high. The sights helped a little, but not what I would consider worth the $50.

Is there anything I can do to get this gun shooting right? Do they make a riser for the front sight or something along those lines. I don't know, so any suggestions would be great. It's getting old holding low on everything. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Actually, if this makes sense, it is the individual that 'makes' the shotgun shoot the way it does, by the way the gun fits them.

Guys, don't flame me here if I got this backwards, but you need to raise the comb so you get a different sight picture. They make a lace on contraption that should solve your problem, and I believe someone makes some stick on pads to raise the comb, also.

I believe that this will cure the shooting high part, assuming there is nothing else wrong with your gun mount. The best thing to do would be to get to a person experienced in shotgun fitting and have him watch you mount and shoot, and see if he can diagnose it further than that.

Hope this helps you!

Tim
 
levis, if there is a range for trap/skeet somewhere close they usually know someone who does shotgun fitting. i though this was bologna until i bought a new shotgun last year and it shot low. i ended up raisin the comb with some cheekeze produc. i went with this b/c i also shot a little right of every thing, it made it alot better
 
Yep, I agree with Jack, With all three of my pellet shooters, I line up the target on the top of my post vs dead enter in a rifle.
 
60/40 is my prefurred set up. Browning shotguns have a tendency to shoot a tad high anyway. For me it has never been a problem, for you it sounds as if it is a problem. There are a couple things you can do. First you can change the pitch of the stock. They make pitch spacers that fit between your butt stock and recoil pad. It sound to me like you need more down pitch. Be carefull here as this is not a cure all. To much and you will have a bruised cheek. Another more simple idea is to lenghten your stock a little. This will alowe you to be further down on the stock drop at comb. I dont know your complete situation so these ideas may or may not be of any help. The last thing i can think of is to learn to shoot the gun the way it is. I compete in sporting clays with a trap shotgun. The high shooting gun helps me see all my targets. I just float a target a tad bit and smoke it. Hope this helps a little. Lee
 
Browning sells wedge (angle) plates that go between your frame and stock to correct the angle for a specific shooter....at least for the 12ga versions.
My wifes Sporting Clays Ladies Gold came with an assortment.
 
Lower the comb and use a higher front bead and this will lower the pattern. Try using a different choke will sometime lower or raise the pattern. Briley sells chokes that will change pattern impact, up, down, left, or right. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
Quote:
I have a Browning BPS 10 guage that has shot high since day one. It is a goose and turkey gun. With the bead on it shot about 10 inches high at 30 yards. I bought a set of Tru-glo Pro Magnum Gobble Dot sights that are adjustable, so I thought that they might help. I have the rear sight slid to the back of the slide adjuster, to the lowest point, even hanging off about a quarter of the rail, but it still shoots high. The sights helped a little, but not what I would consider worth the $50.

Is there anything I can do to get this gun shooting right? Do they make a riser for the front sight or something along those lines. I don't know, so any suggestions would be great. It's getting old holding low on everything. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif



Your BPS10 wouldn't be the wood stocked version, would it?

I had one and it did the same. I ended up taking a rasp to the front of the comb, taking about 1/4" off the front end, blending it in to the line of the wood at the heel. That did the trick.

However, it was stolen and I replaced it with a synthetic stocked BPS10 and it shoots pretty much to the point of aim.

A friend of mine with a similar problem, but not wanting to do any wood working, just figured out how much higher his front sight had do be to drop the point of impact to where he wanted it and got a higher fiber optic front sight made for turkey hunting. Since he shoots waterfowl with the sustained lead method, this works for him, as he needs to see the bead in his peripheral vision when he shoots. I don't think it would help a purely instinctive shooter, though. He doesn't use the rear sight on his gun, though.
 
You can calculate the necessary amount of extra front sight height by doing simple algebra.

You need to know the distance from your front sight to your eye, when the gun is mounted and your cheek is on the comb.

You need to know the amount you want to raise the point of impact and the distance being shot.

Using the example given by you, you want to raise the point of impact 10 inches at 30 yards. Convert 30 yards to inches, gives 1080 inches.

I don't know the distance from your eye to the rear of your front sight, but I will use my 28" barreled BPS12, 3.5", which I have handy, for reference. It is 41 inches from my eye to the front sight.

The equation is set up thus: X (the unknown amount your front sight needs to be raised) over 41 inches (the distance from front sight to eye) equals 10 (the distance you want to raise the point of impact) over 1080 (the number of inches in 30 yards). Solve for X.

Multiply 41 X 10, equals 410. Multiply X times 1080, equals 1080 X. Divide 410 by 1080X, gives you a figure of .379 inches equal X, or almost exactly 3/8 of an inch your front sight needs to be raised (from what it was) to move your point of impact 10 inches at 30 yards.

If my barrel was shorter by two inches, moving the back of my front sight 2" closer to my eye, the amount I would have to raise the front sight would be reduced to .36".

If it was two inches longer (the distance from my eye to the back of my front sight), I would have to raise the front sight by .398 inches to get that 10 inch change in point of impact.
 
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Trade it for one that fits you a little better.



If it was a 12ga, that would be a relatively simple solution. But, the selection of 10ga. guns is much more limited. The BPS is the cheapest, decent, 10ga. available. The next step up is a used Browning Gold or Rem. SP10 semi auto. They are several hundred dollars more in used condition, if you can find one.

If it were my gun, and it had a wood stock, I would rasp down the comb to fit. I paint my guns, anyway, so matching the factory finish isn't an issue with me. About 1/4 inch at the front of the comb was what was necessary, coupled with a higher fiber optic front sight. The Browning front sight is a very low aluminum bead, about .100" high. Go with a fiberoptic sight and you are up to around .150" or .180", for one of the low ones.

If he doesn't want to do any wood work, then a higher front sight, or a trade for a synthetic stocked BPS10 may be more practical.
 
I agree with CDR, just rasp and file the comb down to make it shoot lower. Changing guns and stocks may not solve the problem. As far as putting a taller bead on the end of the barrel, that may work for standing turkey shots. I don't see how the taller bead would work on flying targets when you have a big lead. The shooter is not supposed to be looking at the barrel or bead when shooting at a flying targets.
 
You might want to try a different brand of Choke tube. I have a citori 12 ga that with the factory choke tubes it shoots dead on. I picked up a carlson extra full choke tube for turkey's and it shoots at 40yds a foot high and 8-10in to the left of point of aim. Took it back and got a browning extra full choke with the same specs and it shoots dead on point of aim. I'd try different chokes. It helped me.
 
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As far as putting a taller bead on the end of the barrel, that may work for standing turkey shots. I don't see how the taller bead would work on flying targets when you have a big lead. The shooter is not supposed to be looking at the barrel or bead when shooting at a flying targets.



Putting a higher front sight on the gun won't help if he shoots instinctively ..... as you aren't supposed to see the sight. But, if you shoot sustained lead, as I do, you actually do see the sight in relation to the target. You don't focus your attention on it, but you see it in your peripheral vision in relation to the target. That's how you know your lead is being sustained ahead of the target.

Sustained lead is more popular on making longer ranged shots, where you have time to get ready, mount the gun and see the lead, than it is for short ranged quick shots. But, with practice, it will work too, on the shorter shots.

I went out last Sunday and shot my first 50 bird round of sporting clays since August, using my BPS12 3.5", a full choke and shot my average of 42 out of 50, missing 4 relatively easy shots out of the first 10. Then, I forced myself to settle down and concentrate and did much better the rest of the way through the course. I see the bead and the target in nearly every shot, but the target has the focus of my eye and the bead is seen in the periphery. There are a lot of waterfowlers who shoot sustained lead on the longer shots, but it's not particularly popular otherwise, as it goes against the standard mantra taught in shotgunning, that "if you see the sight, you will miss the bird."

If he uses sustained lead, raising the bead height will help, as it will lower the muzzle of the gun, relative to the target. If he shoots instinctively, raising the height of the front sight will not help and the only solution with that gun is to alter the butt stock to lower his "rear sight", his eye, so he can shoot where he is naturally looking, based on how his gun fits him.
 
If you really like the gun send it to speed bump gun stocks and for about 150 bones you can have a adj stock cut into it and then make the stock fit you exactly how you want it. I have been through all of this a zillion times. Finally i went and had wenig make me a custom stock that fits me and about only me. I even have one in a cheaper piece of walnut for my duck hunting shotgun. There is nothing better a man can do to his shotgun, than have a stock fitted to him/her. I truly beleive my new custom stock helped me win Illinois state sporting clays championship this past year. I had the stock made 2 days before the state shoot. If this is just a old shotgun that you are going to shoot a half dozen times a year than this is probably not the best bet. I would try the pitch spacer first and if that doesnt work you may indeed need to remove some wood from the to of the comb. They Idea about putting a higher bead on the barrel seems really silly to me. I never ever even look at the barrel when I shoot my shotguns. A shotgun has to fit or you will not hit...... Someone also said try different chokes, well that might work to but i dought it and at30- 50 bucks a choke thats not a very good bet to take. I also teach shooting lessons to help fund my shooting for the year, and the first thing we always go with is the gun has to fit , or at least me darn close try the pitch thing I think you will be surprised. All you need to do is add a few washer between the top screw on the recoil pad and the stock. This is just temporary of course, but shoot a couple of patterns to see if you gain anything, I bet you will! If you have any more questions send me a PM. Like i said I am a level 3 certified shotgun shooting instructor.and I bet we can get this figured out for you. Lee
 
If its a synthetic stock,that mite be a problem. I am not real sure what you can do. If the plastic is thick enoughf you may be able to sand it down, but i think it mite look pretty bad afterwards. If you are not in love with the gun trade it in for a shotgun that fits you better. Remember some of the main reasons some people have a hard time shooting a shotgun is- 1 the shotgun doesnt fit, and 2nd they cant keep there eyes of the barrel. And 3rd the gun doesnt fit and they cant keep there eyes off the barrel. Lee
 


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