There was a lot to work out. The object being to have a crescent butt that will lock into my shoulder pocket vertically like an 1873 Winchester, but unlike the Winchester, have enough comb height that I can get a good cheek weld and see down the sights while working the action. Shotgun butts and low combs are the worst for me because the butt slips up and down on my shoulder while levering and I can't get enough good contact with my chin and jawline to brace the stock in place. Low combs and crescent butt plates aren't as bad because the butt tends to stay planted with a little pressure from my support arm, but still I have to cram them into my shoulder too hard to support against the lumps in the lever force because my face isn't adding any real support. If I don't have good cheek weld, the rifle wants to roll under my chin, disturbing my sight picture when cycling the action. Then I have to squirm my face around on the stock to find the sights again, which is uncomfortable and not really good for quick follow up shots.
So, I endeavored to make this rifle fit me, and that required raising the comb since the butt needed to be just about where it was on the original Savage 99. Raising the comb and dropping the heel seemed to be the only logical way to do that, and I tried to make it as graceful and decent-looking as I could. If I had put a parallel comb on it like would be best, it would have looked really stupid on this rifle since nothing else on it (not even the bolt) is directly parallel with the bore axis. I shaped on the comb a bit and decided where you see it now is the best compromise for looks and function. The comb is about 1/8" higher than what "should" fit me, which leaves room for adjustment, and after I put some more taper in the comb toward the front, it should be just right. Making rear-sloping comb taper toward the front like a wedge compensates for the recoil bite of the rear-angling slope, and also helps prevent the receiver from bucking away from the face under recoil.