I agree with most things said here. The Europien doubles rifle's forends tend to be longer, than the Britt rifles. Also one rarely sees a beavertail on either of the Euro, or Britt double rifles made for domestic trade, the exception being an occasional SIMI-BEAVERTAIL, notably on the Heyms, and I can't think of even one from the UK. The heat problem was handeled in the UK, by the use of s slip-on hand guard, that still allowed the shooter to hold the barrels rather than the fore-end wood. The forend wood is, as someone above said, there only to house the ejectors, and cocking levers, and a balance point to carry the rifle by one's side. Most bevertail double rifles you will find will be in the USA, regardless of where they are made, because Americans had become used to seeing the shotguns made this way, so ordered their double rifles that way as well.

This habit of B/T forends in the USA is from the older compition shotguns where there was a real need for a heat sink between the hand and the barrels. This isn't a problem with a double rifle, used for what it was made for, HUNTING! One rarely shoots more that four shots in a run with a double rifle at game,and in most case only one shot, starting with a cool barrel set.

The Britt splinters are in my view "TOO" short, and the Euro double "TOO" long! I like to take half the difference between the two, for mine, and modify the fore-ends on my Euro doubles. This is why I like the lever latch for the fore-end, because shortening the fore-end wood doesn't interfere with the mechanism, as it does with the plunger type!

I like the Heyms about as well as any "NEW" rifle on the market today, and far better than some! I also like the Merkel 140-1, and 2s with a little customizing, of the fore-end, and the addtion of a good recoil pad, along with a little sight work. The only thing I can think of that is uglier than a beavertail fore-end, is a Blaser double rifle from end to end!