Wrist repair

[R.J.Bruce]

If you were going to execute a real, or faux, wrist repair that mimicked the repairs of yesteryear; what thickness of sheet metal would you use??

I am talking about the type of repair that wraps around the entire wrist from triggerguard-to-triggerguard.

Would the thickness be determined by the material being used??

As I recall, I have seen images where the gunsmith used either brass, copper, or iron.

Was bronze ever used??

Thanks for your replies,
                                           R.J.Bruce

[tallbear]

RJ
     I used a piece of original 18th Century trade kettle which is brass and was often used for period repairs of all types.It had the spinning marks from when it was originally made which gave it some texture. .It was'nt more than about 24-26 gauge thick.If it goes the whole way around it doesn't have to be that thick.



Mitch Yates

[bama]

If you look in the antique forum, there was a recent post of a very high quality wrist repair. The brass used looked to be around 10 thousandths or so. Whoever did this repair knew what he was doing. I am sure he had to anneal that brass many times. A very talented man.

[bama]

Here is a link to the Antique forum post on a wrist repair. http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=53529.0

Not only does this wrap fit the stock well but it was inlet down to almost flush with the stock surface. You can see evidence of this were the wrist inlays were removed to inlet the wrap.

[Daryl]

Mitch - that looks terrific.

[R.J.Bruce]

Mitch,
            That is an incredible job of repairing that wrist!!

I REALLY like the striations left in the brass by the original manufacturing process for spinning the sheet brass into the shape of the trade kettle.

Those ridges lend a lot of character to the quality of your repair job!!

Very well done!!
                             R.J.BRUCE

[hanshi]

Maybe it's just me, but that brass repair really does add something great to that rifle.  Don't know...character, authenticity, whatever, but it does look good.

[Roger B]

I really like that "repair"!  Adds character to the rifle.  At least out West, a lot of repairs were done with rawhide.  I've seen Indian owned trade rifles that were literally held together, lock & all, with rawhide.
Roger B.