Back to French guns . . . if gun buyers were to read most contemporary gun writers, especially those with a fair amount of experience with doubles, they'd receive advice that small bores go better with longer barrels, not shorter ones. I've read that from Mr. McIntosh, and the late Mr. Hill as well I believe. Once wrote a piece myself, called "The Speed of Light", in which I pointed out that there undoubtedly are some people who can shoot light, short-barreled guns pretty well--but I'm not one of them.