Can this be saved?

[Treebeard]

This is my horrible butt plate install on a Lehigh style stock. I have received good suggestions on how to correct my trigger guard install so thought I would ask about this. Maybe starting over is the only answer.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Pictures?

[Treebeard]

Pictures?

Picture added to original post

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

This can certainly be salvaged, although that is not the correct word for it.  You simply didn't finish the inletting process.  The bottom at the toe needs to be brought forward a considerable amount to get the return at the heel to parallel the comb line.  Transfer colour and a good eye coupled with sharp tools and some patience will git er done.

[varsity07840]

At the risk of sounding like a know it all, perhaps the notch for heel portion of the plate could be lowered so that the heel is in the same plane as the comb of the stock? Might be a can of worms though.

[oldtravler61]

  First off listen to the other guy's like Taylor. But if it was my gun. Going by my old eye's. It looks like the top of the stock is to high in relationship to the top of the  butt plate. Even that up an follow Taylors advice. An go  SLOW.

[Algae]

What Taylor said!

Al J.

[Treebeard]

I see what Taylor was saying and I will proceed on his advice. Will not surprise me if the top of the stock has to be lowered a little— we will see how it goes. This will teach me not to wait 50 years between builds. Thanks for the advice!!

[smallpatch]

Taylor is right....as usual.  Toe must come forward to make the return follow the top line of the stock.
Also, what happened to the shape of the buttplate?  The toe should not bend forward as this one does.  Looks like it may have been bent forward to get closer to,the shape of the stock.
Here's what it should look like.

[Maineshops]

I feel your frustration Treebeard. I too started this build after a 50 year pause. You remember back then all we had for guidance and information was a couple of books? Well today we have this group to guide us along with a wealth of practical information. Dan

[Long John]

Tree,

First let's clear up terminology.  The "heel" of the butt plate is the top when the gun is held as if you were going to shoot.  The "toe" is the bottom of the butt when the gun is held the same way.

The top "return" of the butt plate, at the heel, is supposed to be on the exact same line as the top of the butt stock.  The picture provided by Smallpatch is right-on.  So first you have to bend your butt-plate a little to get the return at the heal lined-up with the top of the stock.  Heat the butt-plate to a red-orange color with a propane torch and let it cool to room temperature.  This will anneal the brass and make it easier to bend.  One thing I noticed is that the toe of your butt-plate bends forward starting near the lower fourth of its height.  This shape is not typical of the original rifles.  You might want to correct that.

Then you will have to let the butt-plate in with the aid of an inletting black (I use soot from an oil lamp), scraping way the wood marked by the black until the plate fits nice.  It can take many repetitions of the soot-up, try on, scrape away blackened wood steps to get a good fit.  Eventually you can get the plate to fit the stock.  If you find small areas where there is a gap between the wood and brass you can take a small ball-peen hammer and hammer the edge of the butt-plate.  Your hammer blows should be perpendicular to the axis of the barrel - that is going across the butt plate.  This will fatten the butt-plate edge and close the gap.  When you finish file the butt-plate your fit will be nice!

I hope this helps.

Best Regards,

JMC
John Cholin

[Treebeard]

I feel your frustration Treebeard. I too started this build after a 50 year pause. You remember back then all we had for guidance and information was a couple of books? Well today we have this group to guide us along with a wealth of practical information. Dan

All I had back then was just a brochure from Dixie Gun Works. I think i was smarter back then and the resulting Tenn Style rifle worked and I was able to use it at a local muzzleloading club. It wasn't pretty but it was functional and accrurate. I regret the passing of so many of those old muzzleloading clubs. The advice keeps coming in and i am absorbing all i can before i pull out the files, chisels and propane torches. Thanks to all for the advice.

[mountainman70]

Hello Tree, don't be too hard on yo'self. Many here,including me, had many years off from those Glory Days of the 70s,80's,etc. I believe it is called LIFE. Raising a family, working, taking care o buzness, all the responsible things that get in the way of a hobby.
Good part is, we are still here,and on here, to get re acquainted with fellow  enthusiasts,some new folk, and a better medium to exchange ideas and skills.
I, personally treasure this group of 'hivernans, and pilgrims.
Keep after that Lehigh, my worst beginning booboos were in the getting buttplate  heel lined up properly. I got right good at filling the  too deep cut for the heel, and starting over. And this mostly on iron buttplates.
Have a goodun, keep on trukkin, bro.
Dave F

[rich pierce]

There are always exceptions to rules but they should be intentional, not accidental.  Look at the buttplates on the fowling pieces by Fainot and then the rifles.

He deliberately mashed the rifle buttplate return angles to accommodate the patchbox design!  He also bonked the toe forward on rifles.