Rafter Know exactly  what  you mean

the Springfield Arsenal International match rifles from the 1930's had a flat bottom forearm with cork bottom, Most on 03 actions but some on Martini's too. They are well illustrated in Crossmans 03 book.  Have to say they are not attractive to my eye.

I  have never connected that style to Pope but you never know. I don't think he was a stock maker so any Pope Rifle could well have such a forearm if the owner desired.

You see all sorts of configurations due to individual match rules.  If functionality is the objective few better than the Stevens - Pope style as reproduced by CPA MVA and others.

Only other palm rest that I can see to be of advantage is the modern style riding on a rail so it can be adjusted fore and aft, like on a wood stock Anschutz 54 free rifle.  Only thing is moving it up and down I always come up with the same position as the Stevens Pope style on my CPA offhand rifle.

Harry knew a thing or too about offhand rifles.

Boats

Rafter It may work just fine.  Actually I shoot a lot more offhand thumb and forefinger hold than I do palm rest because of match rules. NRA modern Rifle Silhouette and my practice 10 Meter Air gun. 

However few times I have shot the  14 + lb .22 #4 barrel CPA with high comb and hook plate, set triggers & scope in regular NRA rules modern rile Silhouette matches. Not for match placing since it does not meet the rules. I shoot it a whole lot better than  I shoot the modern gun.

We can assume the mechanical accuracy of two good .22's is the same so difference is the furniture and weight.   

Way I see it if the gun is light with weight more toward the action perhaps thumb and forefinger hold will be as good and palm rest is probably not appropriate. Get muzzle heavy and carry almost all the weight on the forearm hand I think a regular Pope style palm rest is going to be the best way to hold the rifle.

Dividing line could be about 10 lbs.  That's the max allowed modern non palm rest  Silhouette rifle. I shoot the Hunter class and am limited to 9 CF 8 1/2 RF. The weight NRA allows for BPCS rifles that have to shoot 25 % of the match offhand is 12 and many guys struggle due to the way they have to hold the gun, no  palm rest flat buttplate.

This is all my opinion however & the worse looking single shot I know is shot by the best offhand shot I have ever seen. Froggy knows the one I am talking about.  By the way Froggy is right cork forearm rifles are in Campbell's book. Will quote the caption

"The cork bottomed pedestal is very much like those designed by AL Laudensack for the International Match Single shots. This is the only true Schuetzen I know of with this factory custom feature"

Seems Laudensack  & the International guns is the place to  look instead of Harry Pope, Rifle rest shown is oval just like you describe, it's worth a try and if the finished rifle is light my bet is it will work well.

Boats

Quote:

Boats, the Pope rest made by Paul is quoted in their catalog as:
Quote: