Poor boy build no buttplate

[northmn]

Gaining on my 25 squirrel rifle but need a little advice on the buttplate or lack thereof.  Making it into a poor boy and have no plans for a buttplate.  ? When a buttplate is not used do they leave the butt curvature fairly straight for strength and to prevent splitting on the comb or toe area.  I may put a piece of antler in the comb.  Also were toe plates common with no buttplate?

DP

[Ken G]

Hi Northmn,
From my experience, no buttplate....no toe plate. 

There's a nice poorboy in the Library showing the curve and lack of a very pointed toe.  I'm pretty sure Dennis Glazener has a Gilespie on his website without buttplate. 

http://home.att.net/~t.glazener/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-579892.html


http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=4162.0

[Roger Fisher]

Ol Herschel used a 'chipping' process in the end grain of the butt to prevent it sliding around on one's shoulder.  He did this on at least one.

[docwhite]

I have seeen one original with horn toeplate. Hard to tell if it was originally built that way or added later  when the toe broke down. DOC

[erdillonjr]

Toe plates were not common. you can however use a piece of cow horn on the toe. A hand forged nail on the heel can also be used. Looks really sharp. Ed

[northmn]

Thankyou.  I did not visit the "unknown" makers part of the library.  That helped.  I see they tended to round the areas to avoid breakage.

DP

[Bill of the 45th]

Here's a pic of how Hershel does it.  This is one he did around 1969, bone heel, slightly rounded, shoulders like a dream, and seems to wear well. There is a small steel toe plate.

She's my best shooter, I rest the butt on my toe when loading to help protect it.

Bill

[Bill of the 45th]

Here's another variation



Bill