Breech plug Tang Thickness

[elkhorne]

I am working on an Early Lehigh for my son similar to RCA #59 in RCA vol I. The barrel is a repurposed older Getz barrel with just "Getz Beaverton, PA" on the bottom flat. It had lugs already in it that I was able to use fortunately. My issue that I am wrestling with is I have the tang finial nicely shaped like the one on #59 but it is 3/16" for the full length. I have read many of the discussions of previous posts and am considering sloping it on the underside up to 1/8". This will put a nice taper on it and facilitate a slight bend if I even have to do that. By the time the top is blended with the stock, the tang should have a nice taper like the post of the original rifles that a member was so kind to show a few months ago. I just want to bounce it off the forum to double check if my thinking and study are moving me in the correct direction. Thanks to all.
elkhorne

[Eric Kettenburg]

I would say so.  Pretty much all of the old guns were made in such a way, tapered to a fairly thin thickness at the finial end.  I think inletting a modern thick breech plug tang full-thickness down into the stock at one of it's weakest points is a bad idea; I'd rather leave as much wood in the lock/wrist region as possible.

[elkhorne]

Eric,
Thanks for the reply. That is what I am going to do. I have the finial shape very close to the original and will taper like I explained above. I have never been advised one way or the other in my classes I have taken but then that is one of the greatest thing about ALR, so many, like yourself, who have seen, studied and built many more longrifles than most of us will ever see. Your perspective is invaluable to all of us trying to learn more than can be gleaned in a week long class. This rifle I am currently working on is being done with only the info I can see and use from the RCA volume. In coming weeks I am going to have some more historical and school questions to make this a Rifle as HC as I can. Thanks again.
elkhorne

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Interesting points here.  I think I am going to start to incorporate these ideas myself.

Cory Joe Stewart