Look at it this way, when you shoot a handgun, isn't there a grip to hold on to? And when you shoot a rifle, do you grip the barrel or is there wood to hold onto? So, why would you want to grab the barrels of a shotgun? In a quick flush, your fingers can get in the way. And if you watch people shoot them, sometimes, they try to hold them between their thumb and index finger. Then watch the gun recoil out of their hand. And as far as the Brits using them?- they miss birds, too. As far as looks go, I admit, I have seen some very elegant splinter forends. But overall, they are usually pretty gawdy. As far as weight goes, you are talking about the equivalent of a few shotguns shells. I will stick with the BTFE. And to be honest with you, around this part of the country, a classic gun has a hard time being sold with a splinter forend if a BTFE is made for the same gun. People around here would not even touch a Model 21 with a splinter forend. And in this area, Model 12s and 21s are pretty much the preferred classic.
