Countersinking top buttplate screw

[goodtime7]

Apologize ahead of time if this is blatantly obvious to everybody else.....
On rounded top buttplate extensions....i.e. No flat or flats, how does one countersink the screw so that the resulting countersink is uniform??   Because of the rounded sides "falling away" the tool removes more metal on the front/back compared to the sides.  The result is not cosmetically optimal....putting it nicely.   
The recent posts on tang drilling was informative.   Got me thinking about this issue.   Any thoughts appreciated.    Thanks

[Mark Elliott]

I have made a number of iron butt pieces with rounded heels and have never noticed a problem.   Maybe it depends on how rounded the heel and how large the screw.    Or perhaps I just didn't mind the high wall front and back. 

[45-110]

for a nice fit/look, you modify the screw head to a slight oval shape to fit counter sink and then slightly blend/radius the top.
regards kw

[goodtime7]

Thanks.    Appreciate your comments/ideas.     Bruce

[rich pierce]

Another option: Solder a tab on the underside and pin it like you do a trigger guard.

Here is an example of a musket buttplate with a tab. You could make a tall underlug from folded brass sheet metal to give you plenty of bonding surface area.

[David Rase]

for a nice fit/look, you modify the screw head to a slight oval shape to fit counter sink and then slightly blend/radius the top.
regards kw

That works fine until you have to remove/reinstall the screw or tighten up the screw due to variations in humidity, wood shrinkage etc.  What size screw are you using?  Using a smaller numbered screw will help.
David 

[flehto]

Looking at my present build which is a Bucks County w/ a curved Bplate return, I just ctsk deep enough so that the screw head is completely in the ctsk......don't care if the screw head is slightly below, fore and aft.....Fred

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

When you cut the countersink in the curved butt plate return, as long as it doesn't chatter, your screw will fit tightly into the countersink without gaps.  Align the screw slot fore and aft, and file the head flush with the butt plate.  It'll look great.

[ron w]

 decide which clock direction you want the slot to be and then c'sink the screw head to where the forward and aft edges of the screw are flush with the butt plate extension, then file the screw head's sides to the contour of the extension. i like to have the slot running fore and aft, it keeps the  slot depth across the whole screw head better and the screw just looks better when there is no notch at the sides of the extension to catch on things.

[goodtime7]

thanks for all the good ideas.   Looking forward to putting them to good use.   Was sort of dreading what would seem to be a simple procedure.   bwj

[Dennis Glazener]

Another option: Solder a tab on the underside and pin it like you do a trigger guard.

Certainly a good option but be sure to look at originals similiar to your rifle and make sure they used pins to fasten the buttplate. It sounds like you could have a SWR buttplate (rounded top) and I have never seen one of those pinned.

Another option, if you are up to some file work, if to file there area into an octagon shape where the screw head will be on a flat. Something like these Gillespie BP's:





Dennis

[goodtime7]

Thanks for the options.    Dave R asked what size screw i using.   Am out of town,so don't have the number.   I think it's a good point, and I will use a smaller screw next time.  I think I will then file the screw head as Taylor and others suggested.   Other ideas noted too.   Seems that different situations require different solutions "one size does not fit all".    B