Wooden Under Rib

[Silhouette4570]

How is a wood under rib secured to a round barreled, halfstock shotgun? I've never seen one in the flesh, only photos on the web. I'm thinking of trying it, and my best guess is soldering on underlugs which are small enough to inlet flush into the rib and pin it to the barrel. My guess on the ramrod pipes is to inlet them into the rib as usual and pin them. Although the barrel I have is meaty, dove tails are out of the question and I'm sure any attempt to drill and tap the barrel would leave dimples in the bore, at best.

Wood under ribs sound like a cheap way to go, and and maybe it was cheaper, but some of the guns I've seen on the web appear to have been pretty fair guns in their day. Maybe the wood was a way to save weight. I've seen photos of wood ribs on full round and octagon to round barreled guns.

Jack

[Bill of the 45th]

Look at the Post in antiques for another J. Maynard by Capt Joel.  Your guess is correct they're pinned.

Bill

[Dave Dolliver]

Soldering the lugs to the barrel with 430 degree solder works fine.  My lugs for this application are
1/16 x 1/8 x 1/2 with the 1/16 surface soldered to the barrel.  I've made 4 and it's worked out fine.

Dave Dolliver

[Acer Saccharum]

You can also cut a pocket with a chisel, raising a flap of steel all around the edge of the pocket. Make your lugs with a little flare out at the base, on all sides. set the lug in the pocket and tap the steel flaps down all around the lug, then file smooth.

[Silhouette4570]

Dave, you pretty much confirm what I was thinking, including the type solder. I'm surprised that you've built four; half stock smooth bores aren't mentioned much on the forum so I didn't think there was much interest in them. Still don't think there's much.

If you've got any photos and don't mind, I'd like to see them.

Jack

[Kermit]

Oh, there's interest. I'm planning a wood underrib on a 12ga underhammer.

[Dave Dolliver]

For people who are interested in match shooting, particularly at clay birds, they make a light easily handled shotgun.  In our area there's a lot of "trade gun" competition activity and these comply with the rules and are much more comfortable to shoot.  I have used 36" oct to rnd 20 ga barrels but other gauges could be used. Usually use maple for the stocks; made one of cherry but didn't get the best piece of wood as it turned out to be a bit soft.

Dave Dolliver

[Robby]

Silhouette, I have done a couple by soldering the studs onto the barrel with soft solder. I have also done a couple by dovetailing brass studs into the barrel. It is a lot more work, but has a nice look to it. The only picture I have is of a soldered one. Either way, I think it makes for a nice trim looking gun.

[Silhouette4570]

Thanks all for the interest in this topic. I'd really like to see more photos to help with the ideas. I've searched the web for pictures and a got about three from antique gun seller's sites.

The gun I'm wanting to build is for trap, which brings up another question: Would a 19th century flint or caplock single barrel live pigeon shotgun have a mid barrel bead? Or is this a modern trap gun thing?