V. Bernie did make some short-barreled guns. The Hemingway had something like 23 1/2" barrels.

Agree that it's almost certainly not a sidelock, although their sideplated boxlocks are good imitations. All their sidelocks, to my knowledge, were called "Holland" models.

They did some proprietary models different from their standard guns, including one for Cabela's. Palunc's post makes it sound like this gun is another one.