Building with no buttplate...

[GANGGREEN]

So I'm intending to build a fairly generic PA barn gun. It's not intended to be historically accurate or to mimic any style or gun, it will just involve features that please me, including a stock profile reminiscent of the PA barn gun on Cabin Creek's website (which looks to me to be a copy of a Lehigh poorboy maybe), a muzzlecap made of horn from a Highland cow that I raised and a cheekpiece inlay from a piece of Mammoth ivory that I've had lying around for a number of years. The stock is being made of a piece of wormy Chestnut which has already had the barrel inlet and the hole drilled for the ramrod. I'm toying with the idea of going with no buttplate, but perhaps an antler treatment on the top of the comb at the butt and possibly an antler or bone toe plate. I've never done a gun without a buttplate before and while I know that they were at least somewhat common, I'm a bit concerned that perhaps there's some possibility of splitting or checking, specifically with the Chestnut, which isn't as dense or as hard as Maple.

Has anyone done guns this way and do you suppose the butt will be safe enough without any plate? If so, do you treat the end grain with wax, epoxy or anything? Thanks in advance, I'm just trying to figure out the plan.

 

[Sam squanch]

The one simple musket I made had no butt plate, but I made a thick leather pad to go on it to protect it while loading.

 

[Sam squanch]

And I wiped a thin coat of epoxy on the butt ( the gun) to keep moisture from soaking in.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
For a gun with no butt plate chestnut, which is soft, is not a good idea. Hard maple would be far better.

dave

 

[ChuckJonesWagon]

Why don't you just make a buttplate out of sheet brass? A simple design but it will protect the integrity of the stock, and still look nice.

Here's one I did for a youth rifle I recently built. I used different styles such as Northwest Trade for the buttock and a hook-breech sort of Hawken for the forend.

Started out like this and ended up like that"

 

[GANGGREEN]

Hi,
For a gun with no butt plate chestnut, which is soft, is not a good idea. Hard maple would be far better.

dave

OK, that makes sense and is why I asked. Chestnut's a "hard" wood, but not nearly as hard as even soft Maple.

 

[GANGGREEN]

Why don't you just make a buttplate out of sheet brass? A simple design but it will protect the integrity of the stock, and still look nice.

Here's one I did for a youth rifle I recently built. I used different styles such as Northwest Trade for the buttock and a hook-breech sort of Hawken for the forend.

Started out like this and ended up like that"

I've considered this too. It's more or less going to be a "fantasy gun" anyway, but I do want to be sure that all of the lines and sweeps fit together and look good. Thanks for the photos.

 

[bldtrailer]

su

sugar hard maple my attempt at a shimmel (barn gun)

 

[bldtrailer]

Allen Martin master of the shimmel
https://www.blackpowdermag.com/allen-martin-builds-a-schimmel/

 

[waksupi]

I've made several poor boy's without buttplates. I use Minwax Wood Hardner on the butt.
I keep putting on coats until the wood doesn't want any more. Just the end grain, and maybe an inch up the sides. You MUST do this outside, this stuff stinks. It has no effect on any stain or finish you put over the top of it.
It's also a handy thing to use if you are carving wood that is very soft, that wants to tear instead of cut.

 

[GANGGREEN]

Allen Martin master of the shimmel
https://www.blackpowdermag.com/allen-martin-builds-a-schimmel/

Interesting. The Martin gun in the photo is kind of what I had in mind, but I think I'm going to use a buttplate this time because the Chestnut is considerably softer than Maple.

 

[tenngun]

I made one gun without a buttplate, it was short in imitation of a buffalo running gun eighteen inch barrel and short pull.
I slapped a piece of wet rawhide on it ant let it shrink fit
I understand that a comb and toe plate protects it well
Or a square head nail at the toe and near the top also helps

 

[tallPercshooter]

Here's the butt on my custom .45 fullstock rifle. Long LOP and fits me like it was made for me. I use a piece of old carpet under the stock when using at the range.

 

[bldtrailer]

here is my allen martin shimmel with a buttplate

an early gun #117

 

[Daryl Crawford]

Here's my Schimmel from the builders at Jacobsburg. No toe plate, but maple used. If I have a future issue I'll fit a plate or horn. For now I'm just really careful.

 

[Mgbruch]

Second gun I've had with no but plate. Just watch where you set it. and set it down, don't slam it. I keep it waxed real well.