doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Short stocked small gauges

Perhaps this has been discussed in the past, but I don't think so.
We sometimes run up on a small gauge gun that has a shortened stock.
I think we can safely say that most American guns had original stocks with a LOP of 14 inches and a tad.
Some have been shortened slightly to accommodate a pad.
I have an idea that many of these, especially 20 gauge guns have been shortened for boys or ladies.
I am speaking of guns built around 1890/1900 and a decade or two later.
I also think that most of these are better guns in better grades.
I took delivery of such a gun today. The gun had the stock shortened so that a pad could be added and still retain a 14 inch LOP. The pad seems to be approx 70 or so years old. It is a 20 gauge with an original price that would put it seriously out of the range of all but the wealthy.
My contention is that it was used by the young son of the man that originally purchased it for himself.
What is your thinking on these shortened high end guns?
Best,
John

Being 6'5" I think shortened stocks are a PITA. My favorite gun has a pad and an ugly 1" black spacer, all added so I can shoot it well. Not only that, but now it's slightly butt heavy.
I nearly forgot, I have a 36 gauge sxs muzzle loader, 13.5" LOP that has all the indications of of being a youth gun, down to the checkering (mediocre with a large groove around the edge to cover up over-runs), and mediocre engraving. Basically, it's just like Dad's gun, only not as good. There's picture of it in an article I wrote for the .410 website (comparing a true 36 gauge to a .410).
Steve

I had always read that during that timeframe "REAL MEN" were expected to shoot nothing smller than 12g.

Smaller gauges where mostly considered suitable for ladies and children so were built/stocked accordingly.

I have a couple of G and V grade Parkers in 16 and 20 gauge that have original butts with inletted DHBP and LOPs of 13-1/2" and 13-5/8". The GH/16 is an 1895 (approx) Damascus, so not an inexpensive gun at the time, but on a 0 frame so who knows? Kids gun? The VH/20 is 1908. Both are 28" with fairly tight chokes. I think they were probably ordered by guys who were just a bit smaller than we are now, or who hunted in very heavy clothing, before the development of modern fabrics and insulation?

Same with my Chas. Hellis 2" 12. Short stock and small wrist. Now wears a leather pad.

LeeS:
I cannot speak for what "REAL MEN" shot where you grew up and cannot speak for what you saw as a child.
I can speak from what I lived and saw.
I grew up in the real South. Georgia to be exact and near the South Carolina line.
I don't think that any man, then living, would consider either of my grand fathers to be other than real men.
They had more than one gun and used them as they were intended.
For bird, both used 16 gauge guns and would say that a gentleman would not go afield with a larger gauge gun for bird. Bird was meant to be Bob White Quail.
The larger gauges were for ducks.
I do not remember many 20 gauge guns, but do remember 410s that were used for rabbits and squirrel.
These men were born in the 1870s, so much of their thinking carried over from the times that the 10 gauge was the heavy gun and the 12 gauge was the light one. The very light 16 gauge was a bow to modernity.
I do think that there was a different thinking in the North at that time.I am speaking of the 1940s when I grew up and became conscious of shooting and hunting.
Best,
John

I had an uncle I once saw grab a runnaway steer by the tail and throw it to the ground. He was 6'5" tall and hunted with a 20ga remington pump (precursor to the ithaca 37). Also saw him show a tres'passer the line fence by the scruff of the neck and the seat of the pants. The fellow was off the property when he landed. I was told, by his brother, as well as his oldest friend, that he,in his younger days, wrestled a wounded buck to the ground and killed it with a borrowed knife. His rifle was a remington mod.14 in 30 remington. He killed the largest buck I've see taken, a 13 point measureing 24" through the curve. He shot both guns just as they came from Montgomery Ward.

I'm 5'8" so shortened stocks don't bother me no matter the gauge. I most often carry a 20ga with a 13&3/4" LOP, but I really like 12 gauge guns. It's a macho thing.

Best to you,
Kurt

I am sure there were guns shortened up for boys and ladies and I would add that folks in my grandfathers age were on average quite a bit shorter and thinner than we are today. Possibly the shorter guns in the 13 5/8" range were as often for smaller men as for women or children as they appear in better guns frequently.

I think it is because taller people with longer arms are generally not as intelligent as people of shorter stature. Shorter men being smarter generally earned more money and therefore had the money to afford higher grade small gauge guns that were more expensive.

"I think it is because taller people with longer arms are generally not as intelligent as people of shorter stature. Shorter men being smarter generally earned more money and therefore had the money to afford higher grade small gauge guns that were more expensive. "

I'm glad to see someone actually take the time to inject some scientific reasoning into this discussion. You, sir, are a man of letters I am sure. Can you believe at one time they believed small pebbles sank in water?