question on steel

[Daniel]

  I am going to try again to start building. I want to do simple Southern pieces. Iron mounts.
My question is what thickness steel do you use for butt plates and trigger guards ?
On the butt plate and guard joints Pins and braze or would pins and silver solder work?
I do not have a torch. Going to rebuild my forge too. 

Thanks for any help,
Daniel

[Dave B]

I used 1/16 sheet steel for my early Hawken butt plate build. I watched Herschel do the butt plate for his Hawken rifle video for american pioneer video. Mine turned out just fine....the second time around. Used a propane torch to silver solder it up.  I have used for the tigger guard  a portion of 1/2" round stock 1018 and was happy with it. I suppose you could use square stock vs round with out too much trouble. I was lucky enough to get some bridge Iron from Jeff Klien a few years back and pounded out a couple with it. It was a little thicker round stock but forged beautifully as long as you kept it up to temp.

[Mark Elliott]

I use 1/8" sheet to cut the blanks for my butt pieces.    The edges are thinned down in forging.   I have used thicker stock, but I think 1/8" is good if you don't work it too much.  I know some people use thinner stock, but I like to have a good edge to fit together, and I like a little heft to the piece.  

As to trigger guards,  I usually forge the entire guard from an 8" length of 1/2" square wrought iron.   I used to use 1/8"x1/2" for the grip rail before I started forge welding the entire guard.  

[Daniel]

 Thank you. I have scraps and new that will work.

[Rolf]

Did  a tutorial on iron triggerguarss. 1/8 sheet metal works fine.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=22536.0

Best regards
Rolf