I reckon you may have hit the nail on the head, 9ThreeXFifty7. Paper-punchers can't stand the bead fore-sight. Unfortunately most DR shooters these days, even those who would refer to themselves as avid hunters rather than target shooters, fire the vast majority of their shots at paper. This influences their choice of sights etc for the limited hunting they do (couple of shots during each deer and elk season, a safari or three per lifetime), but those who fire their doubles mostly at game (as in the 'heyday' of the DR a century ago) are probably quite happy with the gold or platinum bead.

...which is why such a high percentage of working doubles for Africa or India were fitted with them.

Having said that, I certainly agree that what works best for a shooter is what he should go with, but if accuracy were the only criterion, the end-point would be every DR fitted with a scope and laser!