Quote:
Originally Posted by Spleenless Dave
...a stock pad to give it a little more length for my long arms,...
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Arm length is not a factor in gun fit. Arms have elbows and can flex to any length. What can't be changed as easily is the relationship between shoulder pocket and cheek.
A good cheek weld is necessary for consistent shooting. To get a good cheek weld, the butt must be placed properly in the shoulder pocket. This is generally higher than most people mount their gun. The heel of the stock should be about 1" higher than your shoulder. That's just a generic starting point, everyone is different. The idea is to get the stock high enough so your head doesn't need to tilt to get a good cheek weld. Look at this picture:
He has the gun fairly high in the shoulder pocket and a good forward lean which helps with recoil control. His elbows are down which helps with movement, even just pivoting left or right. It also helps with recoil control. The skin of his cheek is bunched up a little which tells us he has a good cheek weld. Notice that his head and neck are not scrunched forward or to the right. This makes for a more natural stance and will help prevent lifting the head as the shot is taken.
Notice the stock. It's one click away from the shortest position. This is due to many things, but stance is part of it. He's more square to the target. By being more square, it helps keep the gun from trying to move to the right under recoil.
Now look at this picture:
He's got the stock all the way out. Because of that he has to stand at more of an angle to the target. The weight of the gun is further from his body which makes it more difficult to hold up. His elbows are away from his body which also makes it more difficult to hold up. Also, because the stock is so far out he had to mount the scope further back on the receiver. This is covering the charging handle and makes it more difficult to operate the charging handle.
No, you probably don't need more length. In fact, when it comes to the AR, I have yet to meet a person large enough that the full lengthof the stock, let alone more than that, is necessary.