Toe Plate on your rifle

Ohio Rusty · Nov 5, 2023

Most every muzzleloader has a toe plate or kick plate along the bottom of your rifle. I have been using these for 40 years to settle the powder at the bottom of the breech. Do you use these ?? Do the new folks even know what these plates are for other than decoration ?? With many rifles having a patent breech like Pedersoli uses, these toe plates come in handy for settling the powder into the breech for better ignition. I have known them as both toe plates and kick plates, where you tap your toe several times against the brass plate so the powder settles into place. I have always tapped that brass toe plate with the toe of my boot when loading. Shooting today, I thought I'd share this tip with the other shooters in case you weren't aware what their purpose was.
Ohio Rusty ><>

appalichian hunter · Nov 5, 2023

Not doubting your assumption but is there any documentation backing this.

1950DAVE · Nov 5, 2023

I thought the plates were for prevention from splitting the short grain of the buttstock.

Terry Lightle · Nov 5, 2023

I do exactly as Ohio Rusty

BackDraft · Nov 5, 2023

Interesting.

R Ellis · Nov 5, 2023

Never seen anyone do that or heard of it I use my hand to tap the side near the breech

Freedom · Nov 5, 2023

The toeplate is never facing me when I load my rifle. The geometry of the buttstock kind of lends itself to be facing the other way.
With modern shoes it seems like a good trick but we get an extra point for traditional footwear during our Woods-Walk, so I don't suppose moccasins would do much, other than hurt my toe.

Palm of the hand would seem to work fine if you felt it was necessary.... but a slow pour down a 44 inch drop tube settles powder fine.
The old flints never had a patent breech. That was mostly a design feature to support the drum on the newfangled cap guns.

ronaldrothb49 · Nov 5, 2023

have seen a lot of people hit the side if the rifle right in front of the lock a couple times myself included. Have never seen anyone hitting the toe plate.

wiscoaster · Nov 5, 2023

I prefer a toe plate because I use the butt tap to settle method. That being said, it's "just in case" because I hold the rifle in the crook of my right arm with the top facing away, so if I maintain that alignment, it's the butt plate that meets the ground.

leadhoarder · Nov 5, 2023

Careful or you will suffer the fate of Jack Daniels.

PathfinderNC · Nov 6, 2023

I’ve never, ever, heard of a toe plate referred to as a “ kick plate”.
Kick plates are on doors.
Honestly.
:doh:

sturmkatze · Nov 6, 2023

leadhoarder said:
Careful or you will suffer the fate of Jack Daniels.

What happened to Jack? I don’t seem to remember this.

sturmkatze · Nov 6, 2023

I have a pedersoli without a toe plate. I bought it in 05 when it was 5. Whomever had it broke the very top of the wood off and filled that with wood putty. I did buy a toe plate with the intention of fixing that and adding, but have not got around to it yet.

Greg Y · Nov 6, 2023

sturmkatze said:
What happened to Jack? I don’t seem to remember this.

Pretty sure that's how Jack Daniels works.....

sturmkatze · Nov 6, 2023

Greg Y said:
Pretty sure that's how Jack Daniels works.....

Lmao. Yes, I do remember it having that effect and also, some severe head pain.

Fitzhugh Williams · Nov 6, 2023

My rifles don't have toe plates. The butt plate extends a small amount past the bottom of the stock to protect the wood.

Comfortably_Numb · Nov 6, 2023

95% of all the guns I have built didn't have toe plates. I wonder where everyone is kicking them?

leadhoarder · Nov 6, 2023

Comfortably_Numb said:
95% of all the guns I have built didn't have toe plates. I wonder where everyone is kicking them?

They kick it’s butt.

waksupi · Nov 6, 2023

I've never seen it done. General practice here is a couple light bumps on the ground, or a couple slaps to the breech area to settle powder.

R Ellis · Nov 6, 2023

waksupi said:
I've never seen it done. General practice here is a couple light bumps on the ground, or a couple slaps to the breech area to settle powder.

Not going to bump my guns on the ground when I can bump the side with my hand

Toe Plate on your rifle

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