A very nicely concise response `unspellable`. I have to agree about the ridiculous drop of many older Winchester lever action rifles and the amount of perceived recoil produced. The Townsend Whelan NRA stocks fitted to the models 64,65 and 71 transformed lever action handling ( and comfort ) and the stocks fitted to most modern lever actions are much more in that style.
One thing to remember if one is ever tempted to fit a beavertail fore-end to a straight grip stocked gun originally fitted with a splinter fore-end is that the gun will shoot VERY high.
A gun with a pistol grip will not produce any more recoil than a straight grip if the comb height is retained - ie, as in most modern guns, and especially competition guns which have very high combs.
There are also cultural reasons to account for the differences in style between British and American `rough` ( upland ) shooting guns. The British gun inevitably had a straight grip and splinter fore-end, the American a pistol grip and beavertail. Another difference would be that the British gun would usually be between 6lb 4oz and 6lb 12oz and the American in the region of 7 1/4 lbs. That style of American `upland` gun has been advocated by several American writers over the years. I believe that if hunting for `walked-up` game the English style is preferable however if hunting over a dog the American style has definite merit.
`Crossover` stocks frequently appear on guns at British auctions. Their use was not only confined to those suffering the loss of an eye as they were also built for those who were right handed and had a left master eye and vice versa. A less extreme cast can be found on `central vision` guns. ( Note to anyone considering buying a gun with a crossover stock because it is cheap and thinking of having the stock bent straight - don`t bother. The bend is so extreme that the stock is highly unlikely to bend without snapping. Also, on a bespoke gun the trigger and top straps will be curved to follow the line of the stock. )
I agree with the consensus. A straight grip on a double rifle chambered for the 9.3x74R is most unlikely to be a problem.