For whatever reason, the British don't seem to have produced many sxs with what most shooters today would consider excessive drop--even back when 3" DAH was very common on guns made in the States. Vintage British hammerguns often fit American shooters without much in the way of stock modification. Not sure why the difference between their side of the pond and ours.
Larry, I think it falls back to the type shooting they did. Driven game and Waterfowl = overhead shots = straighter stock dimensions to maintain sight picture down the tubes.
John
