One more newbie question(hopefully the last)

[Eric Krewson]

On my almost done Beck rifle(first build obviously) which would be the appropriate screws for the toe plate, round or flat head. I haven't been able to see a picture of an original beck toe plate so I am unsure.

This is the only picture I have of my toe plate on photo bucket.  I promise the fit and stock shaping looks much nicer now. Here I am gluing in little maple chips to close some inletting gaps.  I got much better at inletting as the gun progressed.

[Dphariss]

Pean the brass then refile.

Dan

[Randall Steffy]

Eric,
In answer to your question concerning screws, flat head, plain slotted steel screws, countersunk flush or filed flush if slightly proud of the brass is my preference. I believe that is also historically correct, but I defer to those here with far more knowlege than myself. I hope you continue to build. Each gun teaches us lessons we benefit from as we build another. And continue to ask questions, you are at the right site for that.

[timM]

Eric,

There is an example of toe plate screws on one Beck in the "Library's Virtual Museum" under Pennsylvania exhibits for JP Beck.

[Eric Krewson]

Thanks for the replys. The photos are great. I had overlooked them in my search. Flat head screws for sure.

[Eric Krewson]

Here is the toeplate in place with the suggested counter sunk flat head screws, I like it. The stock has been stained with aqufortis and has it's first coat of Chambers oil finish on. The oil darkened the wood considerably but I like dark guns. The toeplate is actually polished but has some of the oil finish on it I haven't cleaned off yet. These are zinc plated screws so I burned the zinc off with a torch. While I had them cherry red I thought" why not harden the heads" so into an oil bath they went. I won't be buggering up these heads with a screwdriver.



Here is my drying fixture to hold the gun after the finish has been applied, an extra long barrel pin and a string hung from my garage door frame.

[bdixon]

I have a newbie question on my first from scratch build,  Chuck Dixons book says to pin the barrel and leave the pins protruding from the sides.  How do you form the fore-stock and work around the pins while doing so?  The answer is probably obvious, but it eludes me.

Brett.

[Benedict]

Pull the pins.

Bruce