Depends.
Some shotguns look more elegant (at least to me) with a carefully veined leather covered pad. Not a bulbous black knob on the end of the stock, but rather a pad that has been shaped and tapered with the leather thinned, so that it is a pleasant extension of the too short stock.
This one is tastefully done (to me.
Notice how it is the same size as the stock. All lines extend through the pad from the stock. It is not proud of the wood on any edge. I have held this one several times, but I can't make myself buy it. The top of the leather pad has a widows peak inset to the stock. It's very nice for 1890's work.
