doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Long tang trigger guards - benefits?

Yeah, I really have my doubts. I might choose a skeleton butt plate over the long tang.

Second the skeleton butt plate...plus, the only guns I see with breaks at the wrist occur when someone just "has" to club a rabbit with the stock to put it out of its misery--don't do that! (doubly don't do it with a borrowed gun) Steve

Ha! A rabbit might stand still for that; a hare, NEVER!

Take a look at many an older double rifle of good build & you will find both top & bottom tangs 'long'. Personally, I respect the knowledge some of those old fellers had.

My main hunting bud of 50 years [no longer w/us] broke two stocks at the wrist chasing Chukar; neither stock had long tangs. Would it have made a dif.? Prolly. That's a personal opinion; do w/it whot you will.

The Spanish gun makers seem to build their shotguns using long tang trigger guards. I have an Ugartechea sidelock with a long tang trigger guard. It came from the factory that way, I didn't ask for it as a custom add on.

I believe I read that the AOC/SG Ugartechea boxlock was designed based on best features discussed and agreed to by a group of three shotgun men, specifically, Jon Hollinger, Terry Wieland and Michael McIntosh. As I recall in the write up, it stated that the long tang trigger guard added stability and strength to the wrist of the stock. I'm thinking there must be something more to it than just aesthetics.

See attached picture from the Ugartechea factory showing a rack of their shotguns all having long tang trigger guards.

Yes, but for Chapuis it's a $300+ adder.

Just about all straight stocked guns have long tangs, but is that just because of tradition, or actual, verifiable function?

It is my opinion that it does add strength to the slender wrist, IF it is inlet very precisely. The strength of the steel is greater than the strength of the thin "slice" of wood that is removed, therefore an overall gain in strength. Look at the picture of the Uggies a couple posts back and notice the placement of the two screws in the tang. They are on either side of what is usually the weakest area of the straight wrist. Wrist strength is also contingent upon the stock maker choosing a piece of wood that does not have some structural weakness in the grain between those screws.

JMO, SRH

Well if they have long tang trigger guards based on tradition then it's traditional for a reason, logically it would be a proven design.

I know the design works just fine, that's obviously been proven. Not all traditions have a good reason, though. I guess I was just looking to see if there's a downside to passing on this option.

Shotgunners are a traditional and hidebound lot, and when a gun starts to get to cost a bit of money, they will expect to see long tang triggerguards, there.
I know you are thinking this new gun will be your last, and will be the one that you take to the grave with you.
That notion, seldom, is the case. Trust me.
If and when you decide to move the gun down the road, it will be more representative of a high grade gun with the option.
The skeleton steel buttplate is a nice feature, but, my problem with them is as a man ages, his requirements for Length of Pull changes, too. Ditto for cast (usually, anyway) and a well fitted and beautiful skeleton doesn't make it easy to shorten the LOP.
You are ordering a custom built gun. Congratulations. Few, I mean very few, people ever do that. I imported guns for a decade and a half, and never got around to doing it for myself, something I regret a bit to this day, as it would be impossible to do it, now.
25 years from today, $300 won't seem like it was a big deal. Even, if it was.

Good luck,

Best,
Ted

Most of the very good double rifles that I've gotten close to have them. Especially the "heavies". Those almost always have them top & bottom. The makers obviously felt that it added something.