Ask The Instructor: Righty For A Lefty

Question: I just inherited a Beretta Silver Pigeon 1 that is right-handed. I am left-handed. Can you do a gunfitting for me? 

Answer: The short answer is yes, I can check the fit of your shotgun, but so can a certified instructor closer to you. First of all, you have inherited a great shotgun. In my opinion, the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon 1 Sporting is the undisputed leader in the “under $4,000 sporting over/under” category. It comes in at under $2,600 and as low as $2,400 at the larger retailers. In the sporting version (as opposed to the field version), this gun is always the gun I recommend as a first shotgun for the sporting clays shooter with a limited budget. It is robust and mechanically more reliable than many other brands that sell for $2000 more. Very little can go wrong with it. When something does, the parts are readily available. The other thing I really like about this gun, from a gunfitting perspective, is that Beretta builds stock dimensions for the “average” shooter. The stock dimensions of the 686 and its variants are also incredibly consistent from gun to gun. The Silver Pigeon has a drop at comb of 36mm at the front of the comb and 56mm at the heel, which is just a bit shy of 1-1/2” and 2-1/4” in drop. These dimensions, as well as its length of pull of at 14-3/4”, are quite “average”. The comb (top of the stock) of this right-handed shotgun has little-to-no cast (or bend) but does have a noticeable amount of cast-at-toe, or “toe out”. The rather neutral cast in the Silver Pigeon is intentional so that this shotgun can fit the broadest population of shooters and, in a pinch, can also fit a left-hander although it is certainly not ideal. Speaking very generally, if you are shorter than about 5’ 11”, or taller than about 6’ 1”, you will likely need some adjustment in the length of the back stock (“length-of-pull”). If you need a little more cast or a higher comb (less “drop-at-comb”), you can always have an adjustable comb installed aftermarket.