Confusion for most people comes with the difference between the Prince of Wales and Woodward type grips, these are both very similar with the difference being the angle of the pistol grip cap, a parallel finish on the Woodward and angled on the Prince of Wales.
There are no particular rules as far as choosing what grip works best, I think it is a matter of what works best for each individual. For a side by side shotgun the straight hand and either POW or Woodward grips look best and people choosing a single trigger will often opt for POW.Semi or Woodward style as hand position remains static. The full pistol grip is normally only seem on Over Under guns but occasionally I have seen them on live pigeon side by sides.
Straight Hand Grip
Prince of Wales Grip Woodward Grip
Semi Pistol or Rounded Grip
Full Pistol Grip
Neil McVeigh on July 19, 2016 at 8:02 am
Simon thanks very much for the clarification.The pictures illustrate perfectly the various "grips".Thanks also to your loyal assistant who I believe assisted you with this post.
If he could only find me a WR 16 shotgun with either a POW or Woodward grip I would be most happy!
Simon Clode on July 19, 2016 at 8:15 am
He did absolutely nothing! I asked him to add some text about them and he changed two words. He obviously spent more time telling you about it than doing it!
Neil McVeigh on July 19, 2016 at 8:30 am
Simon thats very unfair.I am sure those two words were the most important in the whole text!
Mims Reed on July 19, 2016 at 10:51 am
Thanks for the photos with descriptions. Semi pistol for me please.
Better tomorrows,
MCR
Gregg on July 19, 2016 at 6:55 pm
What's the story with the Woodward & the Boss OUs? Nice looking guns. Thanks for the post.
Gregg
Simon Clode on July 20, 2016 at 10:23 am
They are guns we have here at the factory, typical of what we find for customers and buy/sell. The Woodward's are a pair, we restocked them for the client but have the original stocks also. The Boss is a single left hand opening OU gun part of a collection we have.
Gregg on July 20, 2016 at 8:01 pm
Beautiful guns. Thank you.
Gregg
Vance Daigle on July 20, 2016 at 12:54 pm
Good Day Simon,
I find this blog interesting, I think that certain guns just lend themselves to a certain type of grip. For me a Boss O/U looks correct with a rounded grip. the Italians guns look correct with a full grip, and of course the Woodward looks correct with the Woodward style. The style I notice most on the S/S english is the straight grip. So thank you for giving all the styles a correct name for me. The Prince of Whales and the Woodward are very simular in style for the untrained eye. Give me the Woodward grip on all the english guns!!!
In Christ
Vance,
robert on May 11, 2020 at 8:39 pm
A little late to the festivities here, still... Thanks for putting nomenclature to illustration, good to know the various contours. Not unlike Vance's mention above, I see semi pistol for over and under and straight grip for side by side. In profile, these combinations just seem aesthetically consistent, and the uninterrupted nature of these shapes (i.e. no truncated and capped grip, just grain all the way through) really outshines the other styles. Coincidentally, I also like the way they handle, respectively.
Also, the first photograph really shows off some fantastic lumber. If I drink only water and stop eating all together, I should be able to save enough to afford such magnificent furniture. Drinking only water sounds terribly unhealthy though.
in covid we trust,
robert
Steve on January 12, 2021 at 5:24 am
Great post for a shotgun newbie like me. Well done.