Changing pitch of cast buttplate

[Wncman]

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.

Jim Kibler has a video showing how he tweets one for his Fowler before shipping. Might help.

 

[Rebel bull]

No. Not true.

really after working as a jeweler and 21 years at federal cartridge running brass lines. even as cast, brass when working it does need to be annealed periodically for it to remain workable. bending cast leads to work hardening and cracks. can it be done? yes but for a novice why not error on the side of caution.

 

[ZUG]

A LOT of the early 60's - 70's and 80's "brass" cast butt plates and trigger guards were not pure brass. They were some sort of an alloy some were all bronze and dickens to file. I've bent a few very small amounts to get them to fit the contour of a stock but not a lot. I did not have to anneal them when I bent them.

I would re-profile the wood to fit the butt plate and bend the butt plate a SMALL amount to get the final fit if needed.

 

[Tumbledown]

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

As I said, if it's uncomfortable, you're holding it wrong.

 

[Tumbledown]

really after working as a jeweler and 21 years at federal cartridge running brass lines. even as cast, brass when working it does need to be annealed periodically for it to remain workable. bending cast leads to work hardening and cracks. can it be done? yes but for a novice why not error on the side of caution.

I believe Jim was referring to the need to water quench after heating. That part was not true. Brass can be heated and allowed to air-cool to anneal.