I would add two items to the mix regarding lots of drop and the heads-up shooting style.
There was a very nice book titled "The Grand American" put out about ten years ago. It includes a number of undated pictures that I suspect were taken ca. 1890-1900, and I also suspect they were at live bird shoots. In most of those pictures the gents don't have their cheeks anywheres close to the comb. It's the head high & crooked stock scenario.
In roughly the 1930-1955 time period the "American Rifleman" magazine had three or four articles dealing with field shooting wherein the authors were promoting what I interpretted as a rapid, almost violent throw of the gun to the shoulder. Speed was paramount and when the gun hit the shoulder the shooter was supposed to be looking at the target. No mention of hand, foot, or cheek placement, no mention of sight picture. It was just instictive spot shooting. I remained mystified until I read Askins.
