why this shape of stock

Yes, it must be because putting one's cheek to a stock is for commoners.


Yeah, I don't know.

Custom-made for a fat dude with big jowls?

This is just a shot in the dark (excuse the pun)
But perhaps it is designed that way due to the common practice of the time of keeping the gun under the armpit while hunting. It could also be that the designer thought that the shape may make it easier to hold the gun up when shooting in the air, by swooping the stock down, you don't strain your shoulder as much when rising the gun up above your head.

again, this is all just wild guesses so take em for what they are worth.

The Stock resembles the Jezel Musket stocks used by the Arabs. Could have been custom odered by an Arab or by someone who'd served in that sort of environment and gotten used to the style of shooting.
It could be for use in the arctic. One reason that the Enfield has such a low comb is for clearance when wearing a helmet. A stock shaped like the one pictured could be used by a man wearing heavy arctic clothing with the old style wolfskin hoods and face masks used by explorers.

maybe the person who commissioned it thought it looked cool.

.....or maybe the person who carved it screwed up!

Interesting design looks like from a time period long ago or something. Did you have a chance to handle it yourself and put it to your shoulder, or did you just spot the photos of it?

The farther back in history you go, the more extreme the drop of the buttstock. They were meant to be fired with an upright head position, not touching the stock.

Bruce

Perhaps it was meant to be fired from a seated position with aid of a musketrest. Maybe meant to be fired at a high angle upwards for birding use?

Built in lead for driven birds?

I read somewhere that the jezails had that type of stock for shooting from horseback. I don't ride horses, so can't say if it's true.

Old School "Tacticool"

Maybe its just on upside down?

You could try writting into Guns & ammo Or American hand gunnner, i think they do research on this kind of stuff.

It was designed by Dr. Seuss Armory

From what I understand, Jezzails were fired from a sitting position with the aid of a bipod. Their stocks were tucked into the armpit and not against the shoulder.

The stock on that 16 bore looks close enough to a jezzail, it might be some sort of custom order by an old Brit Campaigner.

I've seen old guns from Arabian Country's with butt-stocks such as that one,it may have something to do with being camel mounted and shooting.

Well swords from that region of the world are ungainly curvy and I've never seen the reason for it. I guess I just figured it's a cultural/style thing.

Oh and awkward stuff is frequently considered high tech like for instance, segue scooters, vertical fore end grips on AR's, the CZ pistol bayonet, etc.

I've seen an oddly stocked rifle made for a wheelchair bound target shooter who had been mangled by WW1 shell fire. I think the caption said the stock was rested against the chest.
If I'm not mistaken some early Crossbows and pre musket firearms were also rested against the chest rather than the shoulder, especially if a breastplate were worn. Shoulder armor prevented tucking such weapons into the shoulder.
I don't know much about Arab warriors but I have seen an Arab breastplate ,at a local antique shop years ago, made from a section of a Crocodiles back. It had built in sheathes for three daggers, two curved and one very long straight Poinard style that might have been a relic of the Crusades.

Could also have been a method of dealing with a eye dominat issue. Some stocks were off-set to compensate and this may allow for an off-set hold without curving the stock.

I'd say the fellow who owned it was right-handed but had lost the use of this right eye (or perhaps vice versa, but the stock looks to be cast off for a right hander).

With that stock he could shoot from the right shoulder but tip his head over enough to look down the barrels with the good eye. I've seen stocks made or modified like that before, and for that reason.

A custom job for Mr. Turkeyneck from the Fedex Ground Commerical ???

With that stock he could shoot from the right shoulder but tip his head over enough to look down the barrels with the good eye. I've seen stocks made or modified like that before, and for that reason.

Click to expand...

Good reasoning. A friend who's left eye dominant uses only very low combed stocks and very high set scope mounts to accomplish this accomidation.

His favorite rifle is a Garand Sniper rifle without the cheek rest. The scope being by necessity offset to the left puts it just where he needs it to be.

Though he is right handed he often shoots lefty when not using a high set scope and low combs allow him to reach over the comb easily to manipulate the bolt.

BTW
Just remembered seeing a similarly made Shotgun stock. The article said it was meant for day long carrying by a game keeper.