doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What is rationale behind skinny splinter forearms?

The splinter forend makes it possible to get the lead hand closer to the barrel centerlines, which early shooters saw as an advantage to directing the shot, I suppose. (Anyone have access to what Greener or Burrard might have said about splinter forends?) Certainly, minimal forend dimensions go way back before wingshooting started. The splinter style of forend is not intended to be grasped. Rather, the barrels are grasped and the splinter forend fills the palm of the lead hand without interfering with the barrel hold. That a forend was needed at all was a consequence of gun design -- early guns (muzzle loaders) needed a forward attach point for the stock, and break action guns need a forend piece to complete the hinge. Anyway, holding the barrels directly is an unusual idea to shooters new to guns having splinter forends. It is quite comfortable and natural once you get used to it.

A shooter can point his index finger forward on any forend if he wants. Watch skeet shooters and their big weapons nowadays. So I think this is not the answer. Pointing the index finger forward certainly is not necessary to good shooting, either. Lead hand fingerpointing does occur more naturally to some when using the splinter forend, though it is a consequence to the splinter forend, not a reason for it.

Never would have occured to me to grasp the barrels unless I was told to!

If I wear a golf glove can I get 25 or 50 rounds off at the trap line without burning my hand?

How about a barrel guard

Lou

A fine English style side by side shotgun should be an extension of your body - point a finger at a bird and go bang. When you point at something you do so with a straightish arm

The splinter forend is not meant to be held - it's simply there to smooth out the end of the action.

On a side by side you should be holding the barrels so that your fore arm is nearly straight when gun is pointing at the object - say a driven phaesant. Forefinger should be pointing along the barrels.

Your trigger hand should not be aiming, rather all it does is to lift the butt to the shoulder and squeeze the trigger. A side by side should be shot and is designed to be shot from gun down position.

A side by side barrel does get hot after a number of quick shots - a side effect of being in a hotspot!! You cn get sleeves that go on the barrels to protect your hand if this is really a problem.

With a rifle, trap gunor clay pigeon gun which is aimed rather than pointed the trigger hand has much more control of the aiming function - hence chunky pistol grips.

Lou,

Depends on the outside temperature. If it is 90 out the barrels are going to cool down as much between shots but the golf glove should work fine for the amount of time you'll be grasping the barrels.

Phil

Just don't grab the barrels at the holes where the bullets come out.

Bushmaster,
Understand that the splinter forend is an anachronism left over from the very early years of double gun design, and has a hallowed following among traditionalists. They are joined at the hip with the straight grip crowd.

I've been through the stage of looking askance at any style other than the splinter/straight grip, but once I found out how much better I shot with a shallow, semi-beavertail/pistol grip gun like a Win. 21, I forgot about splinter forends and straight grips. They are slim, trim and sexy, and I can appreciate them, but I much prefer the btfe/pg for good shooting on my part. All of my shooting is high volume, either doves or Sporting Clays, and the barrels get very hot at times. Gloves are ok, barrel guards are an abomination. A semi-beavertail, as in those on the RBL and the Parker Reproductions, are vastly superior for protection and control. Beautiful too.
JR

Bush guy,
This is from your classified ad.

" I am sure you already know beavertail forends in those models of guns do not show up often.

That is why barrel guards where invented."

http://www.classicusc.com/Galco_Barrel_Guard_p/sl1012cn.htm

Get a club.

Given the fit of a shotgun must match the person shooting, if there were not a variety of grips someone would invent them.

It is the same with straight hand, pistol grips and POW stocks.

This also include double triggers, single triggers and release triggers and etc.

Each of these have a precieved advantage to those who invented them.

The Brits, I think, would tell you that the purpose of the forend is to hold the barrels to the action.

If you're shooting a standard 5 man trap squad, chances are a light glove will do fine with a splinter forend. If you happen to be shooting a "short" squad, you may need either a padded glove (like by Gripswell--I've shot flurries with theirs without any problems) or a handguard on the barrels. Personally, I've never used a handguard. Some say it can hurt the bluing. But I always wear a glove on my leading hand whether shooting targets or hunting, to keep sweat off the barrels to the greatest extent possible.

"Understand that the splinter forend is an anachronism left over from the very early years of double gun design, and has a hallowed following among traditionalists. They are joined at the hip with the straight grip crowd."

In fact, double guns with two trigger are THE anachronism. Far easier to kill a limit with the latest gas operated auto, screw in chokes, three shots, reduced recoil, etc.... We choose to make it harder to make it a challenge. So the splinter is just part of the package of the challenge.

Doubles were not designed to shoot vast numbers of shell ,in a short period of time. We shoot them to relax and need a gun to reflect our relaxed game. A splinter is used just to slow us down more on hot days.