Why a English stock?

fishslinger

fishslinger

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
57   0   0
Location
southern ontario
What are the benefits and draw backs of a English stock. I have herd that they make for a faster handling shotgun in snap shooting situations. Like walked up grouse and woodcock. Any truth to this?
 
Theory says straight English grip is quicker to fire the second trigger than a pistol grip. My experience tells me that you have to lift your grip elbow higher to avoid canting on a straight English grip shotgun.
Everyone is different in their response to shotgun stock designs.
I strongly dislike fat pistol grips and beavertail forends, but slender rounded pistol grips (half pistol grip or "Prince of Wales") and splinter forends, particularly on hammer guns, are AOK.
 
Straight English grip has nothing to do with double triggers. It was designed for English-style wingshooting. The straight wrist weakens your grip on the rear of the gun compared to the front. Remember, you're not holding the splinter fore end but holding the barrels ahead of the fore end. This is supposed to strengthen your pointing instinct by having your brain focus more on your outstretched arm, pointed towards the target. Or something like that.

The trigger hand never moves for that second shot, only the finger.
 
Well that's a great theory Grouse Man, but.....
I have never been able to adopt the exaggerated foreward grip of the English shooting schools. My hand is just on the barrels but holding the end of the splinter forend. I also have never been able to shoot the high overhead like the illustrations of Churchill's driven bird shooting suggest either.
If your hand is on the grip weakly I suspect that changing triggers involves some movement of your hand on the grip too, because mine does.
I'm reporting on my experience with 50 years of shotgunning, not just the way it is "supposed" to be.
 
I have a Remington 870 Special Field 20 bore with the English or straight grip. It is a fast handling gun but I base that on it's dimensions and weight not the straight grip. Having said that I find that straight gripped shotguns fit/handle for me well. Again it is an individual fit issue.

Darryl
 
The straight stock has both of your hands in a more similar position which I find makes reactive shooting easier. I also think the straight grip is easier to carry in the field in a barrel-up position.

FWIW, not all English shooting schools teach the same method. Churchill's method is not uniformly agreed upon even at E. J. Churchill.
 
Special Field 20 ga.

I also like the straight stock for carrying & shooting.
Hunting2010045.jpg

Nothing wrong with the pistol grip stock, I have used them too! I suppose it is a personal preference, but I like this shotgun because of the light weight, barrel length & gauge. I got used to it this way, (25 yrs) but if it had come with a pistol grip, I still would have bought it! I love this gun!:)
 
madtrapper143 said:
I have a Remington 870 Special Field 20 bore with the English or straight grip. It is a fast handling gun but I base that on it's dimensions and weight not the straight grip. Having said that I find that straight gripped shotguns fit/handle for me well. Again it is an individual fit issue.

Darryl
Click to expand...

Agree. I have one of those also in a 20ga 870 with a 23 " IC barrel I think, real nice in the thick stuff . The bps version is quick also or maybe just feels quicker.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, that's why I added the 'or something like that'. I do feel that sense when I do grip the barrels, that my left hand is the one controlling the barrel direction, and when I hold a trap gun, for ex., with a strong grip on the wrist, I KNOW that it is my anchored right side which is pushing the gun. But again, my hand stays locked on the straight grip, only the finger moves to the back trigger. It's just another wonderful variable to deal with when shotgunning.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom