Dean,

I believe that you're refering to "canons raye" which means that the barrel, usually the right barrel of a SxS, has very shallow rifling for its full length. This is supposed to spread the shot pattern for more successful woodcock hunting. Geoffrey Gournet refers to it on his website GournetUSA, I believe. I recently saw the rifling in a Manufrance but it was done by other French makers as well. Oh, those French.

Bob Beach