Pointed trigger plate question

[Tom Currie]

Guys, I'm a bit perplexed about inletting the trigger plate ( TP ) that I am making with a rear pointed end. In the past with square ended TP I have file a bevel on the end that has kept the trigger plate held up into the wood at the rear. However with pointed end I am not sure how to do this. I have read to leave sort of a spike to drive into the wood but with the sides bevelled for inletting the "point" of the TP is shorter on the stock or "inside" and longer on the "outside "or visible part of the TP. Not sure how that could ever hold it in the wood. Hope that makes sense. 
   

[Sam Everly]

The Gillespie trigger plates have a point on them . They like many original set triggers in the south are held in by the guard . The inlet should be only just as deep as the plate . That way the plate can not go any deeper and the guard holds it from coming out . I hope this is what you where asking about . 

[Tom Currie]

Thanks for responding Sam although more specifically my question refers to PA rifles, RCA 52, 63 and 64 are examples I can see. These have a screw in front and " no visible means of support "  at the rear pointed end.

[flintriflesmith]

Tom,
I've not taken apart the particular rifles you are interested in but the Long Land and Short Land Brown Bess (with steel rammers) tailpiece often has a spike that is about an 3/16 of an inch long and is half the thickness of the plate then tapering to a point. It is inlet back into the wood.  This is illustrated in Pattern Dates for British Ordanance Small Arms by Bailey on pages 32 & 33. I think other models had this as well but Bailey does not show side yiews of them.

I have seen a similar treatment on trigger plates for fowlers and pistols.

Gary

[Lucky R A]

     The pointed trigger plates that I have encountered were bent down slightly at the rear point.  They are tapped slightly (less than 1/8") into the wood then kind of hinged down from the rear into the inlet.   To do this, lay out the inlet location for the trigger plate as normal.  When you cut the inlet, leave a small area at the rear and cut a small flat where the point will be driven into the stock.  I use the same small chisel that I cut the rear flat with and drive it into the stock at a shallow rear angle.  Set the trigger plate into place and drive/push the rear point into the cavity made with the chisel.  Now hinge the trigger plate down from the point, clean up your inlet as needed.  Some adjustment to the rear point cavity may be needed to allow the trigger plate to hinge into location without splitting the wood at the tail.  It is really quite easy to do, but harder to describe.   Ron.

[Stophel]

I just don't bother.  I inlet the plate so that it only bottoms out at the front boss where the screw goes, and let the tail "float" in place.  It's not going anywhere.  Now, if you have the wood touching the bottom of it anywhere behind the screw boss, as you tighten the screw up, you can flex the tail of the plate out, but it nothing touches bottom behind the screw, it can't flex out.

[Jim Kibler]

One other thing you can do on a trigger plate is to slant the tap slightly while tapping the hole so that when the tang bolt is tightened it pulls the back of the plate up just slightly before the front.  This will keep pressure on the back of the plate.

[AndyThomas]

After taping the plate, I bend it slightly so that the tip contacts the bottom of the inlet first. The tension then holds the tip in.

Hope this helps,
Andy

[don getz]

I make the inlet for the plate just like Lucky described above.....square up the rear of the inlet, leaving about an 1/8"
wide flat area to drive that tail into.   I then file down the tail...vertically, straight down, until the point is only about .050
thick.  I then file it to a point and even taper the side so that it can be driven into the wood without raising that rear portion of wood, which often happens if the point is too thick......Don

[Tom Currie]

Thanks all who replied. That's just info I needed.