The English style stock is still the best for a double rifle - it was created with that rifle and open sights in mind and is still just about perfect for that application. The best in the world still are the H&H Royal, Rigby Rising Bite, and Westley Richards. There is no "American" style counterpart for double rifles of which I am aware. One also rarely sees a "hogback" style stock on a Continental double rifle either. The raised comb as used on some German bolt action rifles and, of course famously, the Weatherby, was one solution to getting the shooter's eye appropriately positioned to use a telescopic sight. It works. The American straight comb works as well, except that it can sometimes be so high as to leave the iron sights useless (see some recent Rugers). Or the shooter trades a bruised cheek (trying to get low enough to use the irons) for less upward recoil momentum. What one sees on most purpose built DG rifles today is a compromise of the American and British styles. The butt will be relatively straight, but still retain enough drop to allow instinctive use of the iron sights for a follow-up (a very "English" concept). It is the forend that is typically longer and fuller on a rifle marketed in this country - in the "American" tradition. My Rigby Highland Stalker follows that butt stock compromise formula as do my Blaser S2 and R8. They seem to work awfully well.
