Men today are only slightly taller, but clearly much heavier, with a thicker face, chest, and waist. A thicker chest increases the effective length of pull; a thicker face moves the eye upward from the comb and to the left, away from the rib (for a right handed shooter) increasing the need for 'cast off' to move the eye back in line with the rib.
24 year old Union soldier in 1860 - 5’ 8” and 143.5#
22 year old American soldier in 1955 - 5' 8" and 150.2#
50th percentile for American 25 year old men in 2002 - 5’ 10” and 168#
All US men 20-74 years in 1960 - 5’ 8” and 166.3#
All US men 20-74 years in 2002 - 5’ 9 1/2” and 191#
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