Why do old rifles have razor sharp buttplates? I can't even

>>33484108
People used to be smaller, because of inferior childhood nutrition and also less fat as adults.

>>33484269
Even so, you'd have to put the middle of the buttplate directly on top of your collarbone in order to avoid digging the points into your flesh. That still can't feel good.

>>33484323
maybe they leaned forward more?

>>33484340
It would still be either poking into your chest or resting on top of your collarbone.

Could it be due to clothing?
I don't know lots about US weather or history, but maybe it has something to do with heavy clothing and cold weather.

>>33484108
I have the answer: with butts like that, you "shoulder" it onto the upper part of your bicep. Try it, and you'll see that it's comfortable, not good for cheek weld or anything like we expect now, but comfortable.

File: Top-Cres-Hold.jpg (31KB, 700x520px) Image search: [Google]

31KB, 700x520px

>>33484108
The curved/crescent buttplate was historically used on the upper arm instead of tucked into the shoulder.

>>33484108
pussy faggot

>>33484750
Stance was also incredibly different. While firing a rifle off hand you stand almost 90 degrees from square to the target, entirely profiled towards what you were shooting. With a stance like that, the upper bicep becomes the natural resting point for the stock, not the shoulder.

Sometimes the level of absolute fucking stupidity on this board actualy gives me a headache.

>>33484108
Try not being a little bitch?

>>33484851
Why did this change? Different circumstances and doctrines?

>>33484727
>>33484750
>>33484851
I did not know that. /K/ finally gave some valuable information after all.

>>33485220
I know the main reason why the military wants folks to square up to a target is most body armor systems have rather piss poor coverage of the sides and armpit area. The older stances tended to minimize your profile but left your side exposed. Modern theory is you expose more of a head on profile but it's armored. That's at least part of it, also styles just change over the years. You don't hear of anyone shooting long range while laying on their back and propping the rifle up on their crossed toes but that used to be common.

>>33484851
I learned to shoot like that. Still do.

>>33485220
I'd guess that a lot of it is ammo. These old leverguns were basically pistol caliber carbines, black powder ones at that, and taking their recoil with a bicep wasn't a big deal. Once trends shifted to full-size smokeless cartridges, though, stances and gun design had to be adjusted to allow the shooter to take the recoil on a more solid area of the body.

In theory you could probably design a 5.56 to be shot like this, but it might cause issues with sighting.