It all depends on the design of the dipstick. My old Toro with a Quantum engine and two year old Ariens snowblower both have
steel dipsticks ( straight) attached to a flat cap that locks when given a 1/4 turn. There is no or hardly any downward travel. Now my Honda
engine of my lawnmower is another story. It is plastic with a threaded cap sitting on a 30 to 45 deg angle. The threaded section is
3/4 " long. To check the oil, you DO NOT screw it all in because it will give a wrong reading. You place it or rest it on the edge of
the tube and take a reading. It's common sense. Always check the manual.