Isn't there a shim between the stock and the receiver?

 

Not that I am aware of.

 

@USAF Retired: There's no great mystery here.
The gun in question simply has a stock whose comb height yields (for you) an eye position higher above the rib's surface than you're accustomed to seeing with other shotguns.
It would be ridiculous to think that every shotgun ever made comes equipped with a stock that fits you personally.
This is the reason shooters modify their stocks, or have adjustable devices installed, or get a custom-built stock, or as noweil said immediately above, is the reason why some shotgun models come equipped with a shim adjusting method.

Now, whether or not you really "need" to shave down the comb is a different question.

 

Understood, have owned many shotguns. Just never had a sight picture this far off and wanting to know what the best method would be to modify it. Looking at the recoil pad, it seems like something has previously been done to the stock to modify it for the pad. Gunsmith noticed it as well.

 

If there is a shim, adjust the drop to better fit you and your sight picture

 

Beretta has shims that can be changed out. They fit between the receiver and stock and the bottom of the buttstock.
sometimes they have to trim the wood when the stock doesn’t fit you so they recommend that you have a quality gunsmith do it. Should be easy for a gunsmith.
I just bought a Beretta 390 and the buttstock is too high for me too. I’mgoing to have it fixed soon.

 

Beretta has shims that can be changed out. They fit between the receiver and stock and the bottom of the buttstock.
sometimes they have to trim the wood when the stock doesn’t fit you so they recommend that you have a quality gunsmith do it. Should be easy for a gunsmith.
I just bought a Beretta 390 and the buttstock is too high for me too. I’mgoing to have it fixed soon.

Thank you for the reply. Answer I was looking for.

 

I think before you make any more investments in solutions you need to determine there is a problem - pattern it. Some guns (including some Berettas) have flat ribs (meaning the slope is parallel with the bore), in which case you may want to see your current sight picture.

If pattern testing reveals a point of impact you can't work with - yeah, if it has stock shims, that's the thing to try before permanently modifying the stock.

 

I think before you make any more investments in solutions you need to determine there is a problem - pattern it. Some guns (including some Berettas) have flat ribs (meaning the slope is parallel with the bore), in which case you may want to see your current sight picture.

If pattern testing reveals a point of impact you can't work with - yeah, if it has stock shims, that's the thing to try before permanently modifying the stock.

I agree 100%. I will be doing that before I make any changes. Thank you.

 

Mount the gun higher on your shoulder.

 

It is not a natural feel for me. Shot skeet and trap for years,and for that it might work. Not so much for ducks, dove and pheasant.

 

Not sure about the earlier 300, but the 303 Trap models did not have an interchanable shim at the rear of the stock.

 

I am going to try and give Beretta a call today.

 

Sold out here, but I would start looking.

Beretta A300 Outlander 12 Gauge Wood Stock and Forend Set

Check out the deal on Beretta A300 Outlander 12 Gauge Wood Stock and Forend Set at MGW

www.midwestgunworks.com

 

As was messaged earlier, I need to find out if the model I have even has the shims. I think I saw a set for sale last night. Not very much. After I pattern it, I will need to have a chat with the gunsmith if it is off.

 

Just look at the joint between the back of the receiver and the grip. Your picture shows a black plastic shim in there. The guns typically come with two shims that can be flipped for right or left cast as well as more or less drop in the stock. As a mate to the shims, there is a large metal oval washer in the stock under the head of the stock bolt that has to be oriented the same as stock the shim.

Typically the standard shim installed at the factory will be marked 55/60 for drop....which is drop at heel in mm (25.4 mm is an inch) so 2-3/16" or flipped is 2-3/8" drop.

My 391s and A400 also came with a second shim and stock washer that is 50/65 mm or 1-15/16" drop or 2-9/16" depending on orientation. Sounds like you will likely need the most drop (patterning will tell you this),. If so, install this shim with the 65mm text on the plastic shim and metal stock washer facing you during assembly. If shooting right handed, ensure the DX faces you....if left handed it would be SX facing you. If you don't have a 50/65 plastic shim and matching steel washer plate, Beretta sells them online.

There are videos on setting performing this switch online...Google will help you find them. The short written version....A Beretta stock bolt takes a 13mm socket, and you'll need a pretty long extension, or couple two or more extensions together to reach the bolt head after using a #2 Phillips screwdriver to take the recoil pad off. To aid in reassembly I usually stick a small piece of paper towel in the socket to hold the stock bolt head while inserting it into the steel washer. Just ensure your plastic shim and steel washer are oriented exactly the same or you risk cracking the wood at the grip.

Good luck with it, and pretty gun by the way!

 

Just look at the joint between the back of the receiver and the grip. Your picture shows a black plastic shim in there. The guns typically come with two shims that can be flipped for right or left cast as well as more or less drop in the stock. As a mate to the shims, there is a large metal oval washer in the stock under the head of the stock bolt that has to be oriented the same as stock the shim.

Typically the standard shim installed at the factory will be marked 55/60 for drop....which is drop at heel in mm (25.4 mm is an inch) so 2-3/16" or flipped is 2-3/8" drop.

My 391s and A400 also came with a second shim and stock washer that is 50/65 mm or 1-15/16" drop or 2-9/16" depending on orientation. Sounds like you will likely need the most drop (patterning will tell you this),. If so, install this shim with the 65mm text on the plastic shim and metal stock washer facing you during assembly. If shooting right handed, ensure the DX faces you....if left handed it would be SX facing you. If you don't have a 50/65 plastic shim and matching steel washer plate, Beretta sells them online.

There are videos on setting performing this switch online...Google will help you find them. The short written version....A Beretta stock bolt takes a 13mm socket, and you'll need a pretty long extension, or couple two or more extensions together to reach the bolt head after using a #2 Phillips screwdriver to take the recoil pad off. To aid in reassembly I usually stick a small piece of paper towel in the socket to hold the stock bolt head while inserting it into the steel washer. Just ensure your plastic shim and steel washer are oriented exactly the same or you risk cracking the wood at the grip.

Good luck with it, and pretty gun by the way!

Great information. Thank you so much. I got the gun used years ago, so no extra shim with it.

 

You don't really care if you don't go to a pattern board.

 

Huh?

 

The gun pictured is an A390ST...not a 300 (Outlander or Ultima)...so you can change out the stock pacer (available from Beretta or various on-line gun supply stores) to give yourself a deeper drop at comb.

 

Thanks boss, much appreciated.

 

USAF--you will NOT know if any of the fixes listed here work w/out patterning the gun. Why would you want to skip this step?

 

Wasn't planning on it.

F*W*F said:
I think before you make any more investments in solutions you need to determine there is a problem - pattern it. Some guns (including some Berettas) have flat ribs (meaning the slope is parallel with the bore), in which case you may want to see your current sight picture.

If pattern testing reveals a point of impact you can't work with - yeah, if it has stock shims, that's the thing to try before permanently modifying the stock.

I agree 100%. I will be doing that before I make any changes. Thank you

 

I think some commenters here missed the fact that the OP's gun is an original A300, not the current 300 Outlander. There are no shims between the receiver and the stock on the older 300

 

I was incorrect, it is an A390ST.

 

Some guns fool you. I had a 20g that looked to be stocked way too high. All my (expert) friends told me so. It actually shot dead flat.

 

I am hoping she shoots exactly where I point. It will save me a lot of time and energy. I will get her right, though. It was my late son's. He passed away last year at 29. Kid was a natural. He won two golds at the Utah Summer Games for individual and team trap while I was in Iraq. In singles, he shot a straight 100. Did that with a Remington 11-87. Wish I still had that one, but he wanted an upgrade. The 11-87 really had to be maintained quite a bit. Issues cost him a medal at the Nationals. He had to shoot a borrowed gun. I was gone all summer. Wish I could have been there to keep it cleaned and maintained. But, boy was I proud to get that news about his medals while I was in a craphole. I was on cloud 9 for a while. Sorry for the long wind, this shotgun just means a lot to me.

 

Thanks so much everyone. I would have probably gone in a bad direction with this. I will pattern the shotgun to see what it does for me, but since they are so cheap ordered the shim with the most drop from Coles. Much appreciated. Just meed to pattern and make adjustments before teal season gets here.

 

You need the stock shim plus a matching stock washer as the bolt hole is located in different spot in the washer depending on the drop.

 

I ordered a washer with the shims from Cole's. I did not see a specific washer associated with a particular shim in the parts layout. There was only one item number for the washer, unless I am missing something.

 

If you go down to description you will see that you match up shim and washer.

Beretta Front Spacers and Stock Plates Set for AL391/1301/A350/A400/A300 Outlander

Purchase a set of front spacers and stock plates for your Beretta semiauto shotgun today.

www.beretta.com

 

Thank you. I ordered the correct washer set as well.

 

From your initial post i,d say your son had that gun set/shimmed to shoot high for trap. Hince high sight pic for you . Easily fixed with Berettas shims for a300. Available several places on line.MIdwest Gun Works is one place. Change it out to 65 mm and set it for R.H. cast and see if there isn,t a huge difference for you.

 

He never did any work to it. I got him the shotgun around the time we moved again and he lost interest in competitive shooting and gained interest in girls and cars.

 

Fumes will do that.

 

Sorry to hear about your son. That's a huge loss to bear. My sympathies.

 

Thank you PapaDoc. He was my son and my best friend, Also the best man I have ever known. I was going to give him a Bergara 308 for his birthday in Nov 2021 when he planned to come out to deer hunt with me. He was turning 30. He passed the month prior. It is a battle every day, but I know he is with the Lord. No pain and feeling nothing but peace, love and joy. Just makes this old world a little darker without him here.

This was us the year prior. My last hunt with him.

 

It sure looks like there is a plastic shim installed between the stock and receiver in the picture you posted in your OP. When I zoom it it looks like the thicker part of the shim is at the bottom which would elevate the comb and make the gun shoot higher.

If that's the case the solution may be as simple as flipping the shim so thicker part is at the top and it will lower your point of impact.

 

I have a 391 20 ga that has two shims installed for the proper drop needed to stack the beads. Works great for me, it's a combination of the shims that came with the shotgun. Just do a trial fit prior to applying the final torque of the stock nut.

 

Someone mentioned about gun being the original models of 300 series Berettas. Pic posted confirms that. Looks to be a a303 to me .The A303 field gun I had did have a shimable buttstock. Single metal shim If I recall located behind Recoil spring nut . They were shimable to 65mm same as current A300 models. Shims were for one drop dimension only with no cast and not reversable like current shims. Some still out there that i,ve seen recently but not a run of the mill item available .

 

Looks to be a a303 to me

Nope. That's a A390 Sport... even says "SPORT" on the receiver. It has a shim and internal spacer washer. Coles will have just what he needs to adjust if necessary.