We seem to be discussing, or confusing, two different procedures here.One is the loading position and the other is the carry position.I have no problem with carrying the gun in a muzzle up position but I haven't figured out yet how you keep the cartridges in the chambers if you try to load with the muzzles pointing up...
Terry - the topic began with lever-thumbing (pro and con) and evolved into loading and then to carry - because they are a continuum.
No one advocates loading with muzzles up - barrels are always down when you load cartridges. The issue is whether the loaded gun should be closed and ready to fire while the barrels are pointed down at the ground (caused by lifting the butt to the barrels), or up (caused by lifting the barrels to the action).
The "lift your butt" rule may have originated with Old Etonians, harking back to a British public school tradition.
