Bucks County Pbox Release

[flehto]

When I first started building BC LRs. the Pbox release was a well kept secret  so I used other style  releases but later on did receive pics from a full time builder of an actual BC LR's Pbox release in response to my request. So henceforth my BC builds had all the features of this style LR...carving was the only exception.

Shown below are pics of  how I copied the release from the pics from a builder who  was kind enough to send me the info. I'm passing it on so anyone building a BC LR can use it.

The lid opener spring's location was Taylor Sapergia's idea {it locates the spring allowing more room in the cavity} and I thank him for it....and the actual toeplate's brass surround was my idea. The pushrod is a length of coat hanger and the catch spring was from .015 hardened spring steel. It has a small hole in the vertical length to accept a small dia on the pushrod end which has a spherical radius on the toeplate end.

The lid has a soldered on hinge plate of .04 thickness which results in  less hinge height above the lid surface.

[walt33]

Thanks for posting this.  It was perfect timing for me.  I'm an new builder and I'm making my 2d rifle in the Bucks county style and was wondering about the patch box.  If I understand correctly the toeplate itself is inlet deeper at the far end so you can push on it so it will flex in and press the rod up?

[flehto]

The inlet is flat from the end of the toe to approx. 1/4" forward of the screw then it angles down. The pic shows a Bucks County w/ all the features and the combline is slightly curved as per a template of a Shuler which  was used for a buttstock layout. Shown below are some pics of a BC LR.....Fred

[FALout]

Thanks for showing how it was done, I hope this is archived for future use.
Bob

[walt33]

Thanks,   the typical Bucks county toeplate shape makes sense now too.   That is a beautiful rifle, I have a way to go before my rifles will look like that.

[Lucky R A]

Hi Fred,
         Over the years we have agreed and disagreed on some things about Bucks Co. guns.  You are a free thinker and I stick more to traditional forms.  The patchbox release that you present in function works as most concealed toe plate releases does.  However your form is widely divergent from the traditional approach and form.  I would like to present a few photos to clarify the differences.  The first set of photos are from an original that I own.  You will notice that the toe plate is considerably shorter and has no type of brass surround.   The push rod is completely concealed within the wood at the back of the patchbox cavity.   In the second set of photos I present a copy of the release found on another original, but copied by me onto a gun made for one of my grandsons.  This is a somewhat easier approach with the push rod running directly along the back edge of the patchbox cavity.  There is a brass bearing plate to allow the rod to move easily.  A staple holds the rod in exactly the right position to activate the release spring.  In this case I made the release spring out of banding rather than forging one.  I present this information and photos to show another and traditional way to skin the cat....

[alacran]

Thanks Guys. When I made my Bucks Co. rifle I made it all from photos and never really saw one. I just took mine out and the toe plate was made in the style That Lucky RAs rifles show. The difference is that I had the push rod protrude though the toe plate. I think I can retrofit it to be more correct. It may also be more comfortable to depress. Though I don't really use the box for anything.

[flehto]

Thanks for the "corrections" and  the photos of the traditional ways of implementing some of the BC features. If I were still building, your info surely would have  been  incorporated into my BCs

The brass plate surround of the toeplate was used to cover up some minor  inletting over runs.....the macular degeneration had gotten a lot worse at the time of this last build and this was the only time it was used.

The arrangement for the lid release isn't all that different than those shown on the originals....my push rod is further away from the cavity wall, I eliminated the retaining staple by having a smaller dia of the push rod end fitted to a hole into  the spring catch.

The biggest deviation from traditional BCs is my carving......I think that the carving  on   the originals  is kinda "weak" because of it mainly being only incised using simple designs.  After some  wear, the shallow  incised carving suffered a bit on the originals.....Verner's superb, incised carved  BC being an  exception.

Although my BCs have all the BC features. sometimes these features were not made and installed according to "traditional methods".......an example  of this is the   addition of a hinge  plate that's soldered on  some of the Pbox lids. My  entry pipes were  originally one piece but found that 2 pieces soldered together was easier and faster......so went w/ it.

This is not an excuse, but I didn't have access to BC originals  and if I had, my BC LRs would probably have been more traditional. Again, thanks for your critique and info.

Below is a side opening Pbox which to me looks nice,  isn't HC but is still one of my favorites.....as can be seen, this Pbox doesn't have a toeplate release because I didn't have the info to incorporate it......Fred

[JTR]

Here's a couple pictures of the patchbox works on my George Weiker Attributed original Bucks County rifle (thanks Tim).
The door opening pushrod follows right along the back side of the PB opening, and there is no door opening spring at all. The toe plate is a small one like Lucky shows.
No one says anyone needs to do it like the old guys did, but I think it helpful to see just how the original makers did it.

[flehto]

Thanks to all for their photos of  original BC LRs and  contemporary  BC builds.. Always interesting and much appreciated. Read somewhere that the lids on some  original BC Pboxes were made of .03 brass sheet and were intentionally bent to spring open w/o an opener spring.....John.....the 2 photos are of 2 different BC LRs?.....Fred

[JTR]

Fred, No, same rifle.
John