Friends:

Ill bet that the bulk of the guns I have seen with 2 inches or so lopped off, were done that way to get the open chokes without damaging, too badly, the balance of the gun.

I have seen several that were identified to me as "grandaddy's bird gun" or something similar.

Back when money was dear, it was likely easier to do, even for the professional gunsmith, than getting a set of choke reamers and doing all the skillful adjustments that the late Ralph Walker was so famous for. 6 minutes with a hacksaw, 5 minutes pounding a bit of lead into the gap to replace the keel, and then oil and hot lamp blue the muzzle ends, and Voila - duck gun is transformed into a quail gun.

My guess , of course.

Regards

GKT

Texas Declaration of Independence 1836 -The Indictment against the dictatorship, Para.16:"It has demanded us to deliver up our arms, which are essential to our defence, the rightful property of freemen, and formidable only to tyrannical governments."