Wood Trigger Gaurd

[P.Bigham]

 One of these days I would like to make a nice German Yeager with a Wood Trigger Gaurd. Has any one made one of these, I have seen that most of them had much more mass to them than the Brass or Iron Gaurds for understandleable reasons and some I have seen had reinforcements of Brass , Iron and Silver. Any special considerations for Grain or type of wood? Best way to affix to Stock? Was this only used by Germans? Thanks PB

[smshea]

Here is one made in the states owned by a friend of mine. This gun is a fowler.

[Dave B]

I have not built one yet but have held several originals with them. They are held on by screws going through the metal plate that is inlet on the out side of them. I have seen both brass and steel used for this. One screw is  just ahead of the bolster and the other one goes througn the section imediately behind the trigger plate. There was  one that holds the rear extension in place with a screw. I have seen also the rear trigger guard section looking like it was maybe under cut so it would lift out once the other two screws were removed. I could see no pins or indicaions of mechanical fixation. I have some pictures some were here. I will check.





This example I think uses a stud with a pin to hold the front extension in place due to no obvious screw un like the two you can see on the rest of the guard.

[Levy]

If you choose to make a triggerguard out of ebony, do not breath the dust from filing or sanding it.  Bruce LePage told me that it made him very sick.  I believe it's toxic.  Some other exotic woods are hard on you too.

James Levy

[Stophel]

It was copied from fashionable Italian guns.  Often, Italian wood triggerguards are carved directly from the stock blank, and not applied!  Super neat.

Often, the German auction catalogs will refer to German/Austrian guns with wood triggerguards as "alla Romana".

[Jim Kibler]

Eric Kettenburg had a great article on his site detailing a German gun with a wood guard.  Not sure if it is still online though.  Seems last time I looked for it, it was gone.  You may want to check with Eric.

[Stophel]

Here's a ca. 1700 Italian gun I lifted from Hermann Historica.  This one has a separate wood guard.





go to www.hermann-historica.com and they will have lots of nice photos of guns (mostly Austrian) with wood guards.

[P.Bigham]

Tanks for all the Photos and help. I had no idea there was a Italian connection.

[chris laubach]

Here are some pictures of one ;






And if you are feeling ambitious you can make wooded thimbles;





Chris Laubach

[smshea]

Great pics Chris!!! Thanks for posting them.

[Michael]

Thanks for the great pictures Chris. Love the wooden thimbles-----Hummmm, I wonder ------.

Michael

[Stophel]

Note the carved wood "sideplates".  Does it have a wood "buttplate" too?

[chris laubach]

Note the carved wood "sideplates".  Does it have a wood "buttplate" too?

Yes, the buttplate is wood.





Chris Laubach

[P.Bigham]

Wow     That changes the thinking that only a  Schimmel  would have no Butt Plate.

[DutchGramps]

I once had a German drilling, with an ebony wood trigger guard and buttplate. That's what I thought, but when I took them out for cleaning, I found out it was buffalo horn!
Hans
who regrets that his garage is unheated  , and with 10 below zero work on the Jaeger has come to a complete standstill .
But outside everybody is enjoying skating for the first time in 12 years

[smshea]

Thats too cool Chris!!  Im already counting all the money im gonna save on brass!

[Majorjoel]

In the wonderful book "Steinschloss-Fagerbuchsen" "Flintlock Jaeger Rifles" by Erhard Wolf (English Translation by Eric Bye), is a very interesting discussion on the "Capuchin" stock on page 351. This gives a pretty good history of the wooden trigger guard used in the Germanic lands. I have seen a good number of wooden guards as well as guards of horn.  This pictured example shows a guard without the metal surround. The use of interesting shaped steel washer reinforcing for the holding screws. http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e279/Captjoel/CapeGun010.jpg[/img]]