Cast off

[Goose]

   I have question concerning cast off. We're there any guns back in the day with cast off starting at the breech? If so, how was this achieved given the length of the tang. Was the tang bent to maintain centerline with the bend of the stock, or was it left straight and somewhat off center?

       Thanks, Wayne

[Jakob]

I had similar question recently and got a variety of answers
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=72056.0

[Goo]

I have discussed something like this with my mentor concerning shape of the wrist.   I know, you are asking about cast off but there must be a reason you are asking again possibly because its about the relationship between the assembled parts.  long story short my mentor and i were talking about how to get a more dramatic oval shape on the wrist and he thought one particular builder (not named for privacy reasons)  may be putting a slight bend into the lock plate at a certain point that may require tweaking of the other parts but not overly so.   This slight bend would allow a little width as the angle splays out towards the butt plate.   I suppose with careful attention you may keep the slender architecture and lines flowing to begin your cast off at the breech.

[rich pierce]

To me, a quarter inch over about 14” is not a lot and doesn’t need to be over-thought. I bet there’s a lot of variation. It’s common on originals with cast-off to see the sideplate lock panel a bit flatter or narrower than the lock panel on originals - in other words not symmetrical (horrors!). If you start that way you’re ahead of the game. I work from the ends of the lock panels backwards for any further adjustments when I add cast-off. It’s mostly a wow-factor thing more than a real functional upgrade in my experience. Rifles are not used much for snap shooting.

[Pukka Bundook]

Starting cast off through the lock sounds a really bad idea Goo.  It was never done in the day.
I know we say never say never, but I say never this time and mean it.

There is plenty of time for cast off in the wrist.
More English and Continental than American, check GBG 1740-90, as it was more common than not on British guns.
On a Longrifle, the same effect can be brought about by a shade more drop.

[45-110]

I have to agree, putting a curve in the lock plate would open a real can of worms with the lock internals.

[Mike M]

This is a very detailed article on determining and measuring a rifle for an individual. Though this doesnt answer your question directly, it will give you the overall idea of how all the butt stock measurements work together.

https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/answers/line-up-cast-to-check-gun-fit-110302

[Mike Brooks]

This is a very detailed article on determining and measuring a rifle for an individual. Though this doesnt answer your question directly, it will give you the overall idea of how all the butt stock measurements work together.

https://www.shootinguk.co.uk/answers/line-up-cast-to-check-gun-fit-110302

Nice for shotguns. Most schools of KY rifles will not conform to measurements that fit certain people according to modern stock fitting standards.

[WadePatton]

One little thing about cast off/on, that I failed to grasp in the first few years of my study, is that it's most appropriate for wide butts and not some much for skinny buttstocks were the shooter's face isn't pushed offline so much.

Of course what shoots best is good for shooters and what's represented best in the history is good for historians.

[flehto]

Using 3/16" castoff yields a "token" cast off  which I use and I've always brought the toe in so no castoff is evident along the toeline. Both  my Bucks County and Lancaster style  LRs  are kinda slender and probably  don't need any castoff, but I do it anyways. The castoff starts at the tail of the lock.....Fred