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Simply a matter of of gravity and friction. The butt is generally heavier and broader, so the rifle is far less likely to tip over if leaning against a wall with butt on the floor. If leaning into a corner the barrel has no place to go.
A loaded, cocked weapon with safety disengaged can "go off by itself" with no finger on the trigger. The brother of a aquaintance lost his jaw and much of his face to a shotgun that tipped over when an door was wrenched open then slammed closed.
Worn sears and/or crud in the mechanism can result in a creeping disengagement several seconds to a minute or more after a gun is cocked.
There are many factors that can result in a spontaneous discharge.
I sometimes hang a unloaded cased rifle with muzzle down, and after cleaning and oiling I place the rifle on its rack upside down so oil doesn't seep into the wood.
I don't lean a loaded gun against a wall, and don't lean a rifle against a log or stump in the woods for even a minute unless the safety is on or chamber empty and prefer to leave the action open. Any longer than a few minutes and I'd unload the rifle.
PS
The problem of AD when jumping from a truck with an autoloader is when the muzzle is up. Inertia caused the bolt to retract far enough to pick up a round but not far enough for the sear to engage.
The STEN, the MP38, and the PPSH all suffered from this until the bolt tracks or knobs were redesigned.
The early production models of the M1 Carbine were also subject to this.
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