Valad,
My wife and two daughters range from a graceful 5'-2" to a swan-like 5'-5" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.
A too long LOP and long barrel puts the weight of the shotgun on their front hand. Since most women have tremendous upperbody strength <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />, they compensate by angling their body backwards over their hips and having most of their weight on the back foot. Not only does this look goofy...you can't swing a shotgun from this position, and it sucks up all the rearward body movement needed to adsorb recoil.
A shooter in such a position almost always has to take a clumsy step back with the rear foot to keep from falling over.
A shorter/correct LOP puts the weight of the receiver between their hands, and the shorter barrel (slightly) reduces the overall weight. If anything, I would cheat the LOP on the short side to keep the weight even closer to the body.
Hopefully, the stock and barrel work would allow the use of a little heavier and more recoil absorbing 12-gauge shotgun.
