Steven,
Good question, I would think the purpose of the forend shape is to give the rifle more of a target- varmint style look to it. Not so much that I like the extra wood on the forend but I do think that the stockmaker did a good job at what he was commissioned to do. Yourself, as a professional gunmaker is there anything you would do to improve the shape forend if you "had" to build one like it. Dan.