Wooden furniture

[wallgunner]

Hello all,
I was thinking about building a gun with wooden furniture. The gun would be German-ish, probably a hand mortar, cause I got a lock and barrel laying around. My question is, would the wooded trigger guard be a separate piece, and pinned and screwed in place just like inletting a metal piece, or is it actually a piece of the stock, and just carved to appear to be a separate piece? I guess another good question would be, is the wooden furniture the same type of wood as the stock, or another type that might contrast to the stock when finished?
I have not actually seen a hand mortar with this type of furniture, usually rifles and fowlers. So I'm not trying to make a historical copy of any one gun, just thought it would be an easier project to learn this type of wood work on. Usually I see that the trigger guards at least have a brass band on the outside of the guard, for decoration I assume, maybe adding a little strength and protection, so I plan on doing this as well. Any thoughts would be of great help. Thanks again,

 

[Mike Brooks]

I have seen them both ways. The trigger guard as a separate piece is far more common.

 

[Birddog6]

The wooden triggerguards I have seen were separate from the stock, and retained with a screws on each end, and were made or either Rosewood or Ebony.

 

[wallgunner]

Birddog6,
Did the guns you viewed date to the 18th century? Just wondering as with all concepts of firearms design/embellishments, different times have different desires, early guns might favor rosewood versus ebony at a latter time. That's why I'm curious to see if the guard was made with the same wood as the gun was being stocked with, even a piece from the stock itself. The guns that I have found on the web so far, seem to have the same overall appearance as the stock itself, of course, the patina on the stocks probably have a lot to do with that.
I'm wondering if I should have lugs on the guard, drilling a hole seems like it might weaken the area a little too much. But then again, looking at the originals so far, they seem to be thick. Getting the right thickness so as to look correct, but not to thin as to weaken the area will be the tricky part. Thanks for the help guys.
Wallgunner

 

[Birddog6]

One that stands out in my mind with a ebony guard is a double barrel percussion shotgun, and the other one was a flintlock Jaeger. For some reason another one with a rosewood guard comes to mind. I will see if I have photos of them. I know I have the Double, but don't think I have the Jaeger photos, but I will look tomorrow.

Keith Lisle

 

[Birddog6]

Here is the lil doublebarrel. Even tho it was percuasion, a beaut of a rifle I was hoping to purchase & didn't get the chance. Note the safety's over the nipples. From what I was told, this triggerguard guard is pinned in the front by a lug & has a retaining screw in the rear.

Still looking for the Jaeger photo.

 

[Mike Brooks]

I've seen these in horn also. You can make your finials thick for strength, you just have to inlet them deep into the stock. I've been fiddling around with the idea of making a wood or horn trigger guard.

 

[Birddog6]

Here are 2 wood ones & a ivory one. Have not found the ebony one yet.

Keith Lisle

 

[Steve Boyleston]

Trigger Guard is seperate so that you can get a trigger on. Many rifles with butt plate shaped into the wood. Ebony make a great T Guard, The Great Pinyone

 

[Stophel]

The black ones are generally horn. And also generally 19th century. Plenty of German/Austrian/Bohemian guns with wood guards from the 18th century. All with very little variation from the ones shown by Keith above, no matter where it is from.

 

[wallgunner]

Mike,
You'll probably will have made five masterpieces with wooden guards before I have time to even start :bow: So I look foward to seeing how they come out. If I'm lucky I get maybe 5-10hrs a week building. Since I try to always stock from a plank, I have loooong periods between pieces. But I love it, so I keep plugging along.
When I do get to it, I think I'll just have to stock supplier make sure there is enough wood for this project with the stock they send. My first attempt at least will have the guard of the same material.
Wallgunner