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When shooting sporting rifles that have a
scope mounted atop the receiver, I have found that there are no
rifle stocks that are properly designed to set the shooter’s
eye directly behind the scope, as it should be, that allow a
proper, firm cheek weld. At least not for me. There are a few
rifles on the market that have adjustable combs, and that is a
welcome feature on a rifle, but they are as scarce as an honest
politician on sporting rifles. Even an AR-15 with its straight
stock will usually not have a comb that is high enough when
mounting a scope with a large objective bell. To me at least, I
can shoot a lot better, and handle recoil better, if my cheek is
firmly planted upon the stock when I pull the trigger. This is
also the case for most other shooters as well. However, getting
a proper cheek weld on a sporting rifle while using a modern
high-quality scope is near impossible without alteration to the
comb. Over the years, I have tried putting foam under elastic
cartridge holders that attach to the stock, and they always slip
around, never staying in place while shooting. Also, it is hard
to get enough foam under one, as most stocks are at least a half
to three-quarters of an inch too low. I have used some very good
leather lace-on style cheek rests, and they work well, but
still, most are not tall enough to completely resolve the
problem, leaving the comb still too low for a proper cheek weld.
I recently received some cheek rests from
Leatherman Products, and finally, have found a cheek rest that
is both high enough, and solid enough, to do the job. Called the
Accu-Riser, these cheek rests come in three different models,
with various colors available also. Depending upon the model
chosen, these cheek rests can be either strapped on with the
supplied Velcro strap, or permanently screwed to the stock.
Three Models are offered: the Model 4000, Model 5000, and Model
6000.
The Model 4000 was the first introduced, and
has been on the market for several years now. It is sold as a
“right-hand-only” cheek rest, but I found it to work well
for me on my S&W i-Bolt .25-06,
shooting left-handed. Still, it is better suited for a
right-hand application, but being left-handed from birth, I have
learned to adapt. The i-Bolt has a Monte Carlo style stock with
a cheek piece, but I still find it to be too low for my build
and shooting style. Even with the Monte Carlo cheek piece, I
cannot align my eye with the scope, if using a solid cheek weld.
Strapping on the Model 4000 fixed the problem perfectly. The
4000 slopes from back to front to recoil away from the
shooter’s face, and places my eye exactly where it needs to be
on that rifle. Perfect. The 4000 is a hard rubber style cheek
piece, and can be sanded down in height, if desired.
Next up is the Model 5000. It is a soft cheek
rest that raises the comb a mere one-quarter of an inch, and
straps onto the stock. I found that it stayed in place well. The
5000 is a very useful item for shotgunners who need to raise the
impact point without having a lot of expensive custom stock work
done. I have seen shooters put Bondo body filler onto a stock to
raise the impact point, but as expected, it looks awful, and
results in a very hard comb. The Model 5000 slightly raises the
impact without permanent alteration, and does not ruin a
good-looking shotgun stock. The Model 5000 also makes a nice
cushion to protect the face against recoil.
The Model 6000 is an ambidextrous cheek rest
that has interchangeable rubber pads on top to allow for
different heights. These snap onto the Model 6000 base, and the
base can either be strapped on or screwed onto the rifle’s
stock. The one that I received has a wood grain finish, but
there is a black finished and a camouflaged unit as well. This
Model 6000 slips over the comb of the rifle stock, and has a lip
on the inside that can be trimmed down to fit stocks of
differing sizes. It is a very versatile cheek piece, and my
favorite of the bunch.
For the full list of various models and
configurations of these useful and practical cheek rests, and to
order online, go to www.accu-riser.com.
Jeff
Quinn
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Click pictures for a larger version.
Model 4000
Model 5000
Model 6000
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