Dr. Drew: As it has now become our "usual conversation", you continue to be a veritable wealth of knowledge. Thank you so-much, yet again. I'm not sure what we'd do without you (either here or elsewhere)?

My 1901 hammergun (sourced from another member here [who is also a font of knowledge]) has about 2 3/4 inches of drop and a noticeably narrower stock. It (accordingly) fits me a little bettter than my hammerless Smith guns (my normal measurements are 1 1/2, 2 1/2, and 14 3/4 [with a bit of cast-on]). Like most folks, I can compensate quite a bit and still shoot allright with a gun that doesn't "exactly" fit me.

From what you have presented here however, I would have to guess that this 1901 gun was ordered that way. Perhaps by the turn of the century, tastes were changing somewhat?

Do you have any idea as to what might have driven those "standard dimensions" in that earlier time?