Curved or flat, what is better?

[major bill]

Is one style some how better than the other?

Some older long arms were curved, however, modern long arms are usually not curved.

 

[gary]

I like a gentle curve like the one shown in your image. However, I'll take a flat buttplate before I take a crescent one. Shooting off the cuff of the arm just doesn't seem right to me but that's what Americans did from the Federal Period onwards.

 

[bankerpapaw]

Curved. It fits the shoulder better.

 

[JOHN42768]

The arched surface would distributed the recoil over a wider area as opposed to a flat surface against your body.

 

[originalrebelyell]

I like s gentle curve

 

[BigMuddy]

I have fired big bore rifles with both. The "flat" is often referred to a shotgun butt. Without a doubt the shotgun butt handles heavy recoil better. Even the flatter "carbine" stock is less painful than a crescent butt rifle when shooting heavy charges.

With that said the crescent (curved) butt stock does seat better for more consistent rapid fire.

Dan

 

[vmicraig]

Curved or flat? Hmmm, I guess that depends on what the rest of her looks like. Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[major bill]

Curved. It fits the shoulder better.

I am not sure my shoulder was curved that much. As I pointed out, curved buttplates are mostly a thing of the past. It would seem like modern armies would still use the curve if it was better.

 

[Kurt G]

Agreed . You would be hard pressed to find a modern sporting shotgun or rifle with a curved butt plate . That being said I do love my repro flintlock squirrel rifle with its crescent butt plate .

 

[Seduzal]

It doesn't matter to me. I have hunting rifles one flat other one curved! You just got to make sure it close to the shoulder before joy pull the trigger.

 

[UCVRelics]

I like flat.

 

[Jobe Holiday]

It all depends on where you hold the arm when fired.
J.

 

[Booner]

I am not sure my shoulder was curved that much. As I pointed out, curved buttplates are mostly a thing of the past. It would seem like modern armies would still use the curve if it was better.

Moden military rifles (M16) don't have the recoil that older military rifles (M1) do.

 

[mofederal]

I have fired a lot of M-1's, I never minded the recoil, I never really noticed it, unlike the M-14, '03 or Kar 98 K. The BAR was a little different as was the air cooled .30 shoulder fired.

 

[Patrick H]

This will not be the reasoning you hope to receive, because it has nothing to do with functional recoil, manufacturing efficiency, etc. When it comes to vintage long arms, I prefer curved butt plates (especially crescent butt plates) and octagonal barrels. They are visually beautiful and they compliment each other nicely. Of course, this has nothing to do with military arms.

 

[gary]

Had a blackpowder class and two very crescent shape buttplates were present. Goodness how they hurt when you rest them on your foot. They were like this:

I prefer a gentle, flatter curve.