Trigger guard question

[Gaeckle]

Got a question for those guys who pound them out on a forge and make their own. How do you folks go about doing this? I ussually use three pieces riveted together then brazed with copper wire or brass. Looking at other ways and techniques.

[shortbarrel]

Gaeckle, I would have thought there would be 2 or 3 good blacksmiths chime in here. I'll put my 2 cents worth in. I make them out of old wrought iron railroad spikes. Have made them in one piece and two pieces. It takes two welds on both or one weld if you rivet the the front of the grip rail into the back of the trigger guard bow. Copper or brass is fine to lock things down, I bet yours look just fine, but I had rather just weld and rivet. I leave the forged piece or pieces some what oversize, because I don't like to see but a few small hammer marks. I use this same process  to make butt plates, one weld

[L. Akers]

The few forged guards I have made have been of two pieces.  The front extension and bow are one piece and the grip rail and rear extension are the second.  I use 3/8 or 7/16 diameter round stock and forge a tapered cone on one end then flatten and draw this to become the bow.  All flattening is toward one side of the rod.  Allow for the length of the front extension and cut it off. Cut the rod in half length-wise in the plane of the bow.  The extension can be left as is or forged to a flair then bent 90 degrees.  The second piece is made from a 3-1/2 " piece of rod which is sawed length-wise for about 3".  The 1/2" solid part is forged to a short tapered cone then flattened in the plane of the saw-cut and shaped into a curve or a fancy curlyque.  The slit haves are separated into sort of a cursive 'y'.  One part becomes the rail and the other the rear extension.  A small section at the front of the grip rail is flattened and they are riveted together at the rear of the bow.

[Mark Elliott]

This is too complicated to really well answer online, but I will tell you generally what I do.   I make iron mounts for 19th century southern guns so I am making basically the same butt piece and guard.   I make butt pieces from two pieces of 1/8"-3/16" thick weldable steel sheet that is cut, forged and forge brazed after riveting. 

I make most guards out of two pieces.   One is the bow and front extension.   The other is the grip rail and rear extension.    For the grip rail/rear extension,  I fold over and forge weld at the spur.   I used to rivet  the two pieces together with brass shim stock and forge braze.    Now,  I forge weld the riveted bow/grip rail connection.

When brazing,  I used 1/2" square mild steel for the bow/front extension and 1/2"x1/8"-3/16" mild steel for the grip rail/rear extension.    For current, totally welded, guards,  I use a single piece of 1/2" square x 8" long wrought iron fence pickets.   

East TN guards are made of three pieces that are forged, riveted together and welded.   The rear extension and grip rail is riveted and welded flat and then bent to shape.  That is then riveted to the bow and welded,    I have a special anvil made of folded 1/4 plate about 12" in front of the port on my propane forge that I use for the guard welding.   It is the only way you can keep the iron hot enough long enough.    The next time I do it,  I am going to use two rivets between the grip rail and bow so that it doesn't twist.