missing buttplates

[Larry Pletcher]

The lock retaining screws sit flush on the wood. I'd add that the web between barrel and ramrod is thinner than the forward lock screw diameter. The screw is relieved in order for the ramrod to pass. There is an indexing mark on the screw for alignment. There is no extra wood on this gun anywhere.

Regards,
Pletch

 

[Mickc01]

There were quite a few old rifles made without a butt plate. this is a copy of a north Carolina rifle I built.

WOW, that's purtty!! :thumbsup:

 

[thecapgunkid]

OK, so I am impressed...

No buttplate on the next piece...

 

[Elkeater]

Even across the great pond, rifle's were made without butt plates. This SxS cape gun was made mid 19th century and appears to have been converted to percussion.

Please inform this pilgrim of what the trigger guard is made of.

 

[Captjoel]

The trigger guard is made of wood.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

My Cabin Creek "PA Mountain Rifle" is sans butt plate...I think it was meant to be a schimmel, but folks may not understand the term... hence the name used by the maker. Doesn't seem to suffer without it....though the builder needs to round the edges of the butt area if the butt plate is omitted, to be softer on the shoulder during recoil. A nice square edge can give you a nice bruise, eh?

LD

 

[54ball]

1810 NC Gillespie angled grease hole

contemporary build

This rifle was used a lot, not babied. There is some finish damage on the butt but that's just part of the charm of a rifle like this. On real rough rocky ground or gravel, I loaded it on my foot....most of the time.

 

[Captjoel]

Now that is just COOL 54! I would bet that when loading on your foot that you be free of those pesky corns and bunions! :haha: I have to take extra care when loading my southern style longrifle as it has a butt plate made out of elk antler. Can't do it on my foot, as the barrel is 48 inches long! I carry a small chunk of a carpet remnant in my haversack for various uses such as loading pad on hard rough ground or as a cushion for the forestock while using a rest.

 

[rr11]

Wow a wood trigger guard! I like. :bow:

 

[Eterry]

Twisted, I saw a video from colonial Williamsburg where the Smith was working with brass. He said brass in colonial times was heavily taxed and 'Smith's saved every scrap, putting down a deer hide when filing to save the cuttings. I always assumed this had something to do with pre revolution rifles having less brass then post revolution rifles.
I've also thought that long rifle were like cars, with several levels of upgrades and options available. The less expensive models were heavily used, repaired, patched, modified, then finally scrapped and recycled. The more expensive models were cherished, used little, and ended up in museums.
But what do I know...
:grin:

Eterry

 

[Rifleman1776]

There were quite a few old rifles made without a butt plate.

Bingo! The buttplates are not "missing". They were never there in the first place on many rifles. I have seen an ebony piece put into the top of the butt for durability. I did a repair once with Osage Orange. (ask me what I like about OO. :wink: ) I made the entire butt plate for a modern shotgun from OO. It ain't complained yet.

 

[Eterry]

Rifleman, your completely right...I got off track and didn't mention that. Some of the finest rifles seen at the Dallas safari show have no butt plate, or its made of something other than metal.

Eterry

 

[bpd303]

I've seen some fine fowling pieces with skeleton butt plates. I really like them. http://www.hallowellco.com/skeleton_buttplate.htm

 

[Eterry]

BPD, the Gun Builder's Guild has set up the last few years at the DSC show. If you want to have your mind blown by fine custom work take a walk down their aisle and look at their exhibition pieces.
ff
Eterry

 

[Zonie]

Your reference to ebony prompted me to do some web searching because I always associated ebony with being a wood that was foreign to North America.

Imagine my surprise when I found that the heartwood of the American Persimmon (Common Persimmon or, Diospyros virginiana) is a true ebony.

This would make ebony's use on an American longrifle a possibility although the hardness, heavy weight and difficulty in working with it would probably limit its use to small pieces.