Well I don't think there is any "myth busting" here as there is no myth involved. Everyone is saying the same thing. "One can manage a crescent butt if one mounts the gun correctly. That's all well and good at the range but in hunting one often shoots from varied positions, standing, leaning around a tree, kneeling, sitting, even wrong handed with all concentration on making a good shot and no thought as to how and where the buttplate sits.
The shooting position sometimes requires the butt in the shoulder pocket. I'd bet those who like the crescent butt have never fired a hard kicking gun from prone.
A flat buttplate permits one to adopt whatever position is required and to snap the butt to the shoulder quickly and smoothly. It also does not chip off the toe of the stock if the gun is dropped on it's butt and does not pick up a gob of mud when set on the ground for loading.
I got my first shotgun at age 10 and I spent hours just snapping the gun to my shoulder and pointing at objects like light switches or flies on the wall, just perfecting the habit of a good swift and smooth gun mount. I shortly there after acquired my first ML with crescent butt and learned to mount that properly as well but when game is in sight I revert to my shotgun mount and I don't want to have to stop and think "not with this gun".
Since there is no advantage to the crescent butt I see no reason to put up with it's disadvantages. If you'll watch an old movie "The Kentuckian" with Burt Lancaster, you'll see the proper use of a crescent buttplate. The long, pointed heel is used to smash the forehead of a fallen foe! I haven't found much need for that feature. :haha:
