Ask the Instructor: Random Cheek Slap

Q: I'm getting a cheek slap maybe once every twenty-five shells. Most of the time, the gun is comfortable, then suddenly I take a hit, and it shakes my confidence. If it were a bad fit, wouldn't it hurt every time?

A: First, ensure that you have proper and consistent contact between your cheek and the comb as you execute the shot.

Improper gun fit or an overly aggressive mount can cause the gun to interrupt your visual connection with the target (occlusion) or lead to an involuntary head lift. Excessive downward pressure of the head onto the comb can also cause a painful cheek slap. A good gun mount involves bringing the gun and body together as one unit, with a balanced grip, eyes locked onto the target, the head remaining still and oriented on the target, and no downward movement of the head onto the gun. Contact between the cheek and comb should result from the upward movement of the gun into the cheek, with the front hand leading the move.

Have your shooting buddy take a slow-motion video of your gun mount from the side of your shooting shoulder. Confirm that you have a good "nose over toes" stance in your ready position and maintain solid contact between the comb and cheek throughout shot execution.

Next, evaluate butt-to-shoulder contact. If the butt pad doesn't sit evenly against the shoulder, recoil energy won't be properly distributed along the length of the pad. Additionally, if you have a longer neck and sloping shoulders, you may find that the top of the butt pad sits above the top of the shoulder when fully mounted. If so, you may need a Monte Carlo stock, which lowers the heel of the gun to achieve more uniform recoil absorption along the length of the pad.

If your stock is too long for you (length of pull), it may cause the heel of the stock to catch on your clothing, leading to an inconsistent mount and excessive muzzle rise.

If all else fails, consider using a slower-velocity shell (lower FPS), a lighter load (1 oz. instead of 1⅛ oz.), a recoil-management device, or adding weight to your gun.

Whether the issue is gun fit or gun mount, cheek slap is a solvable problem.