Let us know what you prefer.
A short old English type fore-end OR a longer splinter such as ones from Searcy, Merkel, Verney-Carron and Heym?

Question:
A short old English type fore-end OR a longer splinter such as ones from Searcy, Merkel, Verney-Carron and Heym?

Choices:
Long
Short

 

Never understood the desire to mess with perfection . . . makers should have stuck with the original English short splinter style.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
Never understood the desire to mess with perfection . . . makers should have stuck with the original English short splinter style.

Seems to be as symple as that you would think.
But being that AR has a good repasentative of world wide rifle uses and hunters one would expect a good average on what WE want in a product or Serves .

Here are some long splinter for-ends;





And some short English type for-ends;

My guess is that people generally vote based on what they own, i.e., if I own it, it must be right. Would be interesting to know how folks vote that own and shoot both.

What Michael J said.

Dutch

I was taught early on when using English double rifles and shotguns to hold them by barrels not the for end. However when the action gets a little fast and furious you have to wear a glove or burn your hand. Is this the reason why these longer for ends have come on the scene ? I'll stick to what I'm used to as I like stream lined lite weight rifles P.S and Beaver tail for ends are just plain ugly IMO

I own long, but prefer the short splinter.

quote:

Originally posted by MJines:
My guess is that people generally vote based on what they own, i.e., if I own it, it must be right. Would be interesting to know how folks vote that own and shoot both.

I own both types and can live with the longer splinter fore-ends but prefer the English short splinter.

The one thing I cannot abide is a beaver-tail fore-end even on a shotgun!

I voted for the English splinter however, which is my preference.

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What would you consider this length to be, long or short?

It looks like it is right between both descriptions to me.

It is my rifle, made by Marcel Thys:


I voted short, btw. And if the forend on my Thys was a bit shorter it wouldn't bother me...

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
What would you consider this length to be, long or short?

It looks like it is right between both descriptions to me.

It is my rifle, made by Marcel Thys:


I voted short, btw. And if the forend on my Thys was a bit shorter it wouldn't bother me...

JPK

JPK, I see your Thys fore-end as a short English, but is a little fat due to it's Anson fore-latch. The extra wood is needed to house the latch rod, and tube to avoid cracking. The little extra wood is not a real draw-back and may be a plus for the control of the 458 Win Mag chambering's sharp recoil.

That is a pretty rifle and you have proven you can shoot it!

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Seems to me neither is right or wrong, merely a matter of taste. I voted long because to me those little short forearms appear ill proportioned. I agree with Mac on the beavertail forearms. They just add too much bulk where it isn't needed....and that too is a matter of taste and preference.

quote:

Originally posted by 9.3 X 75R:
Seems to me neither is right or wrong, merely a matter of taste.

Agree 100%. What is interesting though is that while most folks seems to prefer the small splinter foreend, the modern manufacturers seem reluctant to embrace the smaller foreend. There must be a cost or manufacturing issue at play (or cultural issues at play since most of the modern manufacturers are European although I am not sure that most of their sales are made in Europe), otherwise, why would a manufacturer not produce products that are preferred by the purchasers. I think that was the issue Adam was trying to tease out of the poll.

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

JPK, I see your Thys fore-end as a short English, but is a little fat due to it's Anson fore-latch. The extra wood is needed to house the latch rod, and tube to avoid cracking. The little extra wood is not a real draw-back and may be a plus for the control of the 458 Win Mag chambering's sharp recoil.

That is a pretty rifle and you have proven you can shoot it!

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Mac,

You mean fat depth wise, i.e. from top to bottom? Or fat side to side?

I think it is a little thicker both ways toward the muzzle end compared to a couple of the rifles OzHunter pictured. The lever prevents much taper at the end in either width or depth I think.

My right wrist was damaged when I was six or seven, and I shoot left handed. I cannot turn my wrist to hold the barrels across the bottom of the fore end on even the thinnest English SxS shotgun forends. Thankfully I grasp my doubles, rifles and shotguns, at the front of the fore arm, and can hold the barrels with my thumb, index finger and middle finger, and that is enough.

JPK

As I've been telling my girlfriend for 15 years: short is better.
Cal

Never realized that a fore end would split because it was longer or shorter????

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:

quote:

Originally posted by MacD37:

JPK, I see your Thys fore-end as a short English, but is a little fat due to it's Anson fore-latch. The extra wood is needed to house the latch rod, and tube to avoid cracking. The little extra wood is not a real draw-back and may be a plus for the control of the 458 Win Mag chambering's sharp recoil.

That is a pretty rifle and you have proven you can shoot it!

....................................................................

Mac,

You mean fat depth wise, i.e. from top to bottom? Or fat side to side?

I think it is a little thicker both ways toward the muzzle end compared to a couple of the rifles OzHunter pictured. The lever prevents much taper at the end in either width or depth I think.

My right wrist was damaged when I was six or seven, and I shoot left handed. I cannot turn my wrist to hold the barrels across the bottom of the fore end on even the thinnest English SxS shotgun forends. Thankfully I grasp my doubles, rifles and shotguns, at the front of the fore arm, and can hold the barrels with my thumb, index finger and middle finger, and that is enough.

JPK

Depth! However, it is not enough, IMO, to cause a problem for anyone!

I know what you mean about an injury causing some problems with shooting. I used to reload from two cartridges between the fore finger and middle finger, and between the middle finger and the ring finger. I developed cancer in my fore finger of my left hand. When it was cut out, and skin graft applied the nerves in the fore finger was killed. so now I must reload from a two shot leather fixture on the back of my trigger hand. Actually it is faster than the old way though.

Thys makes a fine rifle! Good hunting.

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quote:

JPK, I see your Thys fore-end as a short English, but is a little fat due to it's Anson fore-latch.
The extra wood is needed to house the latch rod, and tube to avoid cracking. The little extra
chambering's wood is not a real draw-back and may be a plus for the control of the 458 Win
Mag sharp recoil.

That is a pretty rifle and you have proven you can shoot it!

Mac that is Perfectly stated!!!

quote:

Originally posted by petermayall:
I was taught early on when using English double rifles and shotguns to hold them by barrels not the for end. However when the action gets a little fast and furious you have to wear a glove or burn your hand. Is this the reason why these longer for ends have come on the scene ? I'll stick to what I'm used to as I like stream lined lite weight rifles P.S and Beaver tail for ends are just plain ugly IMO

Hey Pete, I will send you an Email latter and looking forward to your response.
Regards,
Adam

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Sellers:
Never realized that a fore end would split because it was longer or shorter????

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member

Larry. the length is not the problem, but the fore-end wood must be hollowed out to accept the tube for the push rod and coil spring of the Anson latch. Thus the need for thicker wood to avoid cracking.

With the Dealey lever latch less wood is hollowed out of the fore-end. If both types are on either extractor, or ejector. If ejector even more wood has to be removed in either type.

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