Changing pitch of cast buttplate

WonkyEye · Dec 17, 2024

Hi All,
I have a silly question, because I'm sure the answer is obvious, just not to me and I don't recall seeing it mentioned in any books or videos I've watched. My cast brass (bronze?) buttplate is set for a pitch of about 1". For me, with a big chest, that digs in at the toe and I need about 6" pitch. If I align the butt portion, it leaves the part at the heel jutting up at an ugly angle. How do I bend it down without hosing up the complex curves? I'm guessing it involves a torch, a vise, maybe a couple wooden blocks and
maybe a mallet? Also don't be alarmed, this is a construction lumber practice stock to help me figure out all my dimensions and to work out some of my mistakes before I get to the fancy maple.

stubshaft · Dec 17, 2024

I would anneal the plate before attempting to bend it. Cast brass is brittle and prone to cracking.

I would also straighten it out more and NOT try to maintain the original shape (angle) of the original buttplate.

SDSmlf · Dec 18, 2024

Anneal and bend/beat that butt plate into submission. Get the angle you want then fit the stock to it. May require a few tweaks of the butt plate along the way.

Very common ‘adjustment’ in my experience. And for what it is worth, I have a few ‘broken’ examples in the spare parts draw. ANNEAL the butt plate BEFORE any aggressive adjustments. Cast brass isn’t always that forgiving.

Tumbledown · Dec 18, 2024

You don't place the butt against the chest. It should go against your arm by your armpit, aiming cross-body. Inlet the wood more and don't risk cracking or breaking the casting.

andy52 · Dec 18, 2024

Tumbledown said:
You don't place the butt against the chest. It should go against your arm by your armpit, aiming cross-body. Inlet the wood more and don't risk cracking or breaking the casting.

That type hold is the traditional way of shouldering a crest butt plate, I've never tried to adjust one to fit myself.

ChuckJonesWagon · Dec 18, 2024

I would think you want to bend it where I have the arrows pointed. I would anneal the brass to a cherry red (quench with water....it won't matter if you let it cool or quench it), then move the metal with your choice of hammer, wood pieces against vice jaws, etc.

It's going to be important that the metal is annealed and soft before you do this....or it will likely crack.

James Kibler · Dec 18, 2024

Clamp the top return in a vise and bend away. No need to anneal or fuss around.

Vol423 · Dec 18, 2024

I think the angle between the top return and the plate is a little off, but you mostly need to I let the buttplate into the stock.

Tumbledown · Dec 18, 2024

Vol423 said:
I think the angle between the top return and the plate is a little off, but you mostly need to I let the buttplate into the stock.

The plate angle is fine, the wood is wrong.

PathfinderNC · Dec 18, 2024

If it’s not going to shorten your pull length too much for you, could you reshape the butt and bring the butt plate forward?

wiscoaster · Dec 18, 2024

Cracked brass because I tried to bend it without heating it: been there, done that*. Don't do it.

* on my first kit-build project (Traditions Kentucky pistol - cheap metal anyway).

Rebel bull · Dec 18, 2024

ChuckJonesWagon said:
I would think you want to bend it where I have the arrows pointed. I would anneal the brass to a cherry red (quench with water....it won't matter if you let it cool or quench it), then move the metal with your choice of hammer, wood pieces against vice jaws, etc.

It's going to be important that the metal is annealed and soft before you do this....or it will likely crack.

View attachment 369343

brass absolutely has to be quenched in water if not done the brass will remain hard sometimes hard enough that a new file will almost skate across it

WonkyEye · Dec 18, 2024

PathfinderNC said:
If it’s not going to shorten your pull length too much for you, could you reshape the butt and bring the butt plate forward?

I started with the butt shaped to the plate, and found that it's very uncomfortable. I'm going for a JP Beck Lebanon Co style which should be more like the green line. What I have above in my original pic is more like the red

PathfinderNC · Dec 18, 2024

WonkyEye said:
I started with the butt shaped to the plate, and found that it's very uncomfortable. I'm going for a JP Beck Lebanon Co style which should be more like the green line. What I have above in my original pic is more like the red

Got it. A new butt plate might be worthwhile to consider, that is closer to the style you’re after. (Some vendors accept returns

)

waksupi · Dec 18, 2024

Yep, I'd get a different butt plate.

James Kibler · Dec 18, 2024

wiscoaster said:
Cracked brass because I tried to bend it without heating it: been there, done that*. Don't do it.

* on my first kit-build project (Traditions Kentucky pistol - cheap metal anyway).

Must not have been brass... We bend thousands of buttplates and guards. Not to mention all the different ones I've bent as a custom builder. No annealing required.

James Kibler · Dec 18, 2024

Rebel bull said:
brass absolutely has to be quenched in water if not done the brass will remain hard sometimes hard enough that a new file will almost skate across it

No. Not true.

wiscoaster · Dec 18, 2024

James Kibler said:
Must not have been brass...

Yes, it was. Traditions brass. But it was brass. Or some alloy? I don't know. Not a metallurgist. But definitely NOT brass plated. And probably not same quality casting as Kibler brass. But, tried to bend it without heating, and after being warned not to do that, and it snapped:

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...tucky-pistol-build.164450/page-3#post-2352859

SDSmlf · Dec 18, 2024

James Kibler said:
Clamp the top return in a vise and bend away. No need to anneal or fuss around.

I’ve broken two ‘yellow metal’ butt plates attempting minor adjustments ‘without fussing around’. Don’t know, but guessing they were made from something closer to bronze than brass.

James Kibler said:
Must not have been brass... We bend thousands of buttplates and guards. Not to mention all the different ones I've bent as a custom builder. No annealing required.

‘Brass’ covers a lot of different materials sold by various sources and not all brass comes with material certs documenting what it actually is made from that you must be getting.

Clark Badgett · Dec 18, 2024

If your brass won’t bend, it’s most likely an alloy closer to (if not actually) bronze.

If your brass has a pale yellow color or a slightly pinkish tone, it’s not proper gun metal brass.

Changing pitch of cast buttplate

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