[Mr. X]

I think there is a place for specialist short guns. In Cornwall, I swam in confined gulleys and had a large bass swim under me, knocking me as it pushed passed. Minutes later another swam out from under an old boiler in the same gulley, again too close to shoot. Watching an Italian spearo DVD last week (Daparin?), the diver could have shot many of his fish with a vets' humane-killer he was so close, as they were in caves or under overhangs. It seems like short guns (60-70cm) are not that uncommon further east on the south coast of the UK (e.g. Sussex) where viz. is often poor and there are some reefs & wrecks. Or even Dorset in winter it seems.

Re. short pull on the bands. Pastor mentioned recently that a few companies use trigger mechs that are "sort of backwards" (like a mid-handle gun) so there is a few more cm of stretch available - which could be critical for a short gun. So I guess using a short version of a popular long gun might not be the best policy (although the 60/65cm Commanche seems well regarded). Anybody have any experience of a well designed/optimized short gun?