Schroyer patchbox release?

[Richard]

I’m looking for help with building the type of patch box release that G.Schroyer used, (the one with the spring attached to the butt plate and the dog legged push rod). I have an idea of the basic shape from Alexander’s book, but hoping someone would be able to post pictures of originals, or recreations that they have done. As well I could use some advice for dimensions.
Brownells has 1095 flat bar in thicknesses of 1/32, 1/16, 3/32, and 1/8. Is this the right material for the spring, or is there something in my scrap bin that can be made to work? It comes annealed and once I have it shaped, then I assume it would require hardening and tempering, but then... does that make it difficult to peen that portion of the spring into the butt plate? Thanks in advance for any help.

Richard

[bama]

This release is well illustrated in Shumway’s G. Schroyer Sr & Jr book. I have made this release and it is not a simple release but it is doable.

[Dave B]

Richard, you've got PM Mail

[Dave B]

I thought to sketch out what is being discussed. If you don't have the two sources listed. They are good to have on hand for just such issues when building longrifles. The actual original push rod used by Schroyer has a kink in it just before the portion pierces the spring. I have a feeling that is to maximize the force of the push rod keeping the majority of the push rod on center with the  mid line of the butt sock as it travels up to the exit point on the butt plate return.

[Richard]

Jim (bama), thank you for the Shumway reference. I need to add Shumway’s (Schroyer) book to my collection. It’s no longer available from Dorothy’s / web site, but I do see there are used copies on Amazon. Just hard to understand a price 3 to 5 times that which I paid for new copies of RCA I&II. Maybe it’s normal, given that it’s out of print. I think I’ll post on the ALR buy/sell.

Thanks to BarryE and Dave B for allowing me to see some pictures of originals.

Dave, wow! That’s a great sketch. I’m doing a Schroyer inspired rifle, patchbox from p366 of Kindigs TOKRGA. Both “The GunSmith of Greenville County” and “Recreating the American Longrifle” which I have are great resources. This forum is even better!!
I had assumed that the springs attachment to the buttplate was a round peg, peened over. I was wrong, it is a rectangular pin. Makes sense given the rotational forces acting on it.
The sketches in both books don’t have that little bend just prior to piercing the spring. It would probably function either way, providing the point of contact was not to close to the pin end. In Schroyer’s original with "the kink", he puts the point of pressure on the spring closer to the latch end, presumably making it require a little less force on the button to release the spring.

I’ve got the spring cut out and shaped. Fixing it into the butt plate will be the bigger challenge, so my plan is to make a test version and try to inset and peen it into a similar thickness piece of scrap brass. It may take several attempts for this rookie to get it right.

Richard