Dan , here is my 2 cents / IMO .
The French stock design and the English stock designs are different do to a different style of shooting .
As Mario mentioned . The NW gun can have at times very little drop .But not always . The comb is also very flat across the top , which IMO also takes some getting used to .
But the reason they are that way is that the English style of shooting a gun was basically how we shoot today . IE you step into the gun as you shoulder it . Just like you would a modern rifle or shotgun .
With the French designs , they often “depending on the maker “ have a lot moor drop to the heel and a more rounded profile to the nose of the comb . This calls for a much more erect stance when shooting . IE your head is up not forward and down .
Thus if you have large cheek bones and try and lean into the gun with your face forward , the rise in the comb often will end up recoiling into your cheek bone .
When I learned and accepted that difference and thus began shooting my de chase , with a more erect stance , the gun not only became much more comfortable to shoot but my accuracy also improved greatly
De Chase
Now note I said depending on maker .
The reason I say that is that not all French designs have that roman nose to the comb .
What the largest % that I have seen do however have in common is a greater drop from the nose to the heal then on English guns .
While this isn’t a De Chase you can see what im getting at
Now as to the ups and downs .
The plus is I can reload much quicker then I can a rifle . Also I have the ability to shoot either shot , ball or both . I actually to a very nice cow elk some years ago while hunting grouse , because of that ability . Literally I saw the herd coming down the ridge , was able to quickly pull the over the shot card , dump out the #7 ½ that I was loaded with . Drop a ball in and push the over the shot card back in and still have time to make the shot .
As to a draw back . I would say that would have to be accuracy at ranges past 75 yards .
However that also may not be an issue while hunting . As you know a lot of times out harvest range back here is rather close . As such , frankly I see no difference between how accurate my smoothbores are compared to my rifles at those closer ranges .
Now one thing that I have had a problem with is heat waves coming off of my smoothbore barrels . Especially the longer barrels . They distort your sight picture much more then they do on a rifle with an octagon bore when you out shooting on hot days .
Now his is just my opinion but considering you build , you may find the NW gun to be rather small in stature for you . But at the same time your probably going to like the larger trigger guard . With your height and size , if you do go with a NW gun , I would find someone who would build you one that’s based more on a early design with much more drop then those commonly seen today. IE something that’s alittle more then the original I showed in the first photos .
Now the other thing is price .
Doing a French gun correctly , is much harder then doing a NW gun . Thus they cost more .
But the plus is that they were also done “depending on the model you chose “ in degrees of very simple , to modestly decorated , all the way to very extravagant gentleman’s guns.
Not so with the NW gun which even in so called chiefs grade , is not very ,,,, how should I put this , gentelman ‘y LOL
But then they don’t really need to be .
Now myself I have owned several NW guns and more then a few De chase . I prefer the French designs . One of the only things French that I do care for .
Let me also put in little plug here .
I don’t know what price range your thinking of or time fraim . But if your thinking of a frenchy and of something more then the run of the mill trade gun or De chase , give me a call . I would most certainly enjoy entertaining the concept and challenge of building you a fine piece.
