Rifle - Drop at Comb

[Jerry D]

I added a 0.25" beartooth comb razing kit to an A bolt with low talley rings. It holds a vx-III 3.5x10-40 perfectly.

I find this to be a tenfold improvement over the factory comb height. According to my math my new drop at comb has become 3/8" or .375

No factory guns come with combs anywhere near this high but manners makes a whack at 0.40 range for hunting stocks.

Why is this? Do most people prefer more drop or is it a matter of making a stock that is one size fits all?

[elkhunter11]

With 3/8" drop at comb, you wouldn't be able to remove the bolt on many rifles, or use a cleaning rod from the breech. On most long actions, you wouldn't be able to cycle the bolt. That wouldn't be very practical.

[Peebles]

I've wondered this too. The best I can tell is that stock design never caught up with newer large objectives. The other factor is the different posture and grip used in benchrest and similar shooting, which is one of the main uses of larger scopes I think.

These days I would guess the average hunter has low or no understanding of stock fit and choosing the right optic for their stock and shooting style. This isn't the only case where bigger means better to most. Cheek weld has become obsolete.

Even still these high ring/low rise stock setups have their own advantages too. A 50mm objective has an edge in most subjective visual testing by the hunter, so to some shooters it's all upside.

[Jerry D]

I guess it's a matter of different things. A rifle that fits for me or one that doesn't but can be more easily cleaned.

Many guns have adjustable combs which I guess are raised and lowered or do people remove the actions from stocks?

I've seen some manners stocks that are actually groover or notched out where the bolt will cycle.

I highly doubt people using the 50mm scopes in medium or high rings are getting proper alignment with factory comb drops. Are they?

[elkhunter11]

I refuse to use 50mm scopes on big game rifles, as they have to be mounted higher than I like.The only large objective scope that I own is on a target rifle with an adjustable comb that is easily removed to clean the rifle, or to remove the bolt.