Reenacting, like any activity, is a process of constant learning, and often involves UN-learning long-trusted ideas and notions. These often fall under the heading of "reenactorisms", practices which we THINK are historically accurate, but which we later learn, through actual ongoing research, are ideas we picked up that have no real basis is documented history. I've been reviewing period Manuals of Arms, or what is now called Military Drill. (LEFT shoulder, ARMS! PREE-sent, ARMS" and that sort of thing.) if you watch a lot of eighteenth-century reenactors, and movies like Last of the Mohicans, and The Patriot, you'll see these reenactorisms hard at work. Watch the soldiers when they fire their muskets: they'll often turn their heads away from the flash of the flint striking the hammer. This usually goes with the idea that the musket is vaguely pointed, and not aimed, and that the protruding bit above the muzzle is a bayonet lug, and not a sight. Period documentation doesn't support any of these ideas: not only is e front sight specifically referred to AS a sight in period manuals, many extant muskets have a rear sighting groove filed into the breech of the musket, to help in aiming. Troops were trained to aim, and to HOLD their aim when firing. The muskets of the day were innacurate enough as it was, and Sergeants were always on their men to keep their muzzles down, due to a soldiers' natural tendency to aim high. Proper aim was also aided by a particular point which I ALWAYS see in period diagrams, and almost NEVER see at reenactments: the left elbow, held down and close to the body. The natural inclination is to hold the elbow straight out when aiming and firing, but it should, properly, be held close to the side. Try this out: from Shoulder, bring your musket to Present. Chances are, your right elbow is sticking out to the side. Now sight down the barrel. did you have to tilt your head to the right to bring it in line with the sight? And where is your cheek touching the stock? Almost at the comb, right? Now, without moving any other body part, lower your right elbow to your side, and let the butt move with it. You'll likely find that the butt is moved up and forward, automatically bringing your right eye in line with the sights, and placing the CHEEKPLATE, and not the comb, against your cheek. Now, you don't have to crook your neck to aim, AND the flashpan is higher and farther away, not only from YOUR face, but from the face of the man to your right. One of the reasons flashguards have become necessary, is that we're not holding our muskets properly! If we take the time to train ourselves in the proper, documented, dropped-elbow stance, we'll find firing to be more comfortable, and possibly safer. As always, don't take my word for it: check ACTUAL PERIOD documentation, and try the techniques I've proposed, adjusting a bit here and there, until you see the results I'm talking about.