What is the "correct buttplate angle using the top of the stock/forend to measure FROM.

Another method better?
What/how?

Some say 90 degrees from center of the butt stock to a straight line to the muzzle tip.

This is from the James V. Howe Gunsmiting book.





frank

Just my opinion and I know it doesn't work for all applications, to facilitate recoil management the closer to perpendicular to the bore centerline the better. The less drop at the heel the better, and a comb that is parallel or nearly so to bore center is a plus. That said it is a configuration that favors scoped rifles, not one with iron sights or a shotgun. Mangaging recoil is to manage the perception of same. Anything that contributes to barrel rise and cheek popping is counterproductive. There are differing opinions, that's mine.

What I believe you are talking about it the pitch of the stock. It is often measured by placing the butt on a floor and the rifle or shottun up against a vertical wall. The pitch is then measured by the distance from the barrel to the wall. You do not want them vertical, it would be very painful

The angle is there so that the butt of the gun will fit the contour of your body. If it was vertical, the small toe of the stock would be the only thing touching you when the rifle fired. You are trying to match the slope of your chest. The pitch will be somewhere around 2 to 2 1/2" plus or minus. Experiment to see what works best for you.

To further illustrate what Chic is saying , I put forth this hypothetical example.

Dolly Parton's rifles have a lot of pitch, while Twiggy's rifles don't have any.

Elmo

For what it's worth, the stocks that I have measured have an average pitch angle of approx. 4 degrees.