Why is the tang so thick??

[Bigmon]

Getting started on another project using a Colerain barrel.  And it's not just their barrels but I have noticed on others, why is the breech plug tang so darned thick?  This one measures  5/16" thick.
If I inlet it basically un bent there would be enough to file the profile of the stock in it.
But that's not how it's done (or is it?).  I bend the tang to the profile as I have always been told to do.
Do you folks thin the tang from the underside to thin it, and then bend??  I just do not like it this thick?
Also, is it common to shorten the tang?  Are they long the way they come?  This one is 2 1/2" long.
I sometimes shape the tang, thumbnail, etc, but how long should it be??
Thanks in advance, hoping to get started after Church here this afternoon, before the football game.
Later, and as always, thanks

[Pukka Bundook]

I think they leave them thick because its easier to take meat off than put it on, Bigmon.

[Ron Scott]

To reduce the thickness, file the underside of the tang until you have the dimension you desire. The factory length of tangs are often much longer than is needed. Most of my original Jaegers have tangs that are 1 3/4 to two inches long. My new barrels have tangs that 2 3/4 inches.

[Clark Badgett]

I think they leave them thick because its easier to take meat off than put it on, Bigmon.

This is correct.

[smylee grouch]

Shallow hacksaw cuts on the underside will speed the process up. 

[RAT]

I've seen photos of original tangs that were not bent, or bent very little, to match the curve of the stock. Some look to be about 1/16" thick at the back end, and heavy at the breech plug end. This tells me that our modern obsession of bending it to perfectly fit the stock is misplaced. I do it, because it's now expected, but I'd guess the original makers weren't shy about just filing metal off the top of the tang to match the curve of the stock.

I do file a corner into the bottom of the tang to get rid of that radius most barrel makers leave where the tang meets the lug. That makes it easier to bend, and I can get a bend closer to the back end of the plug.

Regarding tang length... I'm at the opposite end. I want them to be at least 3"-3 1/2". Then I wouldn't have to keep spending money on after market plugs with longer tangs. I have a box with several (barrel maker) supplied plugs that I didn't use because the tangs were too short. With a long tang, you can always cut metal off. It's harder to add metal on. If they're thick enough you can forge them out a little longer. I have a hooked tang for a future project that's only 1 1/2" long. I need it to be 3" long. It isn't thick enough to grow that long by forging. I'm going to need to ask someone to weld a piece on to make it longer.

Come to think of it... maybe barrel makers should give us fitted plugs that are 5" long.

[EC121]

Tangs are thick because it is cheaper to produce them that way.  The wrench lugs are thick for the same reason.  Allowing for the barrel flat alignment the rest of the lug only has to be as thick as the wrench that turns it.  By leaving things thick there are fewer cuts required during  production.  Economics always wins.  I use a hacksaw to cut slots in the underside then file them out to get about 3/32" thickness. Because the breech seat takes the recoil,  the tang only needs  to be thick enough to hold the countersink for the tang screw.  No point in removing any more wood than necessary.

[EC121]

I've seen photos of original tangs that were not bent, or bent very little, to match the curve of the stock. Some look to be about 1/16" thick at the back end, and heavy at the breech plug end. This tells me that our modern obsession of bending it to perfectly fit the stock is misplaced. I do it, because it's now expected, but I'd guess the original makers weren't shy about just filing metal off the top of the tang to match the curve of the stock.

The old timers were working for wages not as a hobby.  It was probably more efficient to do it like that than to bend and inlet the tang.

[bob in the woods]

I've seen photos of original tangs that were not bent, or bent very little, to match the curve of the stock. Some look to be about 1/16" thick at the back end, and heavy at the breech plug end. This tells me that our modern obsession of bending it to perfectly fit the stock is misplaced. I do it, because it's now expected, but I'd guess the original makers weren't shy about just filing metal off the top of the tang to match the curve of the stock.

I do file a corner into the bottom of the tang to get rid of that radius most barrel makers leave where the tang meets the lug. That makes it easier to bend, and I can get a bend closer to the back end of the plug.

Regarding tang length... I'm at the opposite end. I want them to be at least 3"-3 1/2". Then I wouldn't have to keep spending money on after market plugs with longer tangs. I have a box with several (barrel maker) supplied plugs that I didn't use because the tangs were too short. With a long tang, you can always cut metal off. It's harder to add metal on. If they're thick enough you can forge them out a little longer. I have a hooked tang for a future project that's only 1 1/2" long. I need it to be 3" long. It isn't thick enough to grow that long by forging. I'm going to need to ask someone to weld a piece on to make it longer.

Come to think of it... maybe barrel makers should give us fitted plugs that are 5" long.

   Just heat them up and draw out the tang to a longer dimension if you want . There's plenty of material there to do it. You can then file the tang to whatever shape you want.  It's so easy, even I can do it   

[ettoreR]

They are left thick for your benefit, I'll generally cold bend the extension to the rough shape of the guns wrist, then inlet it. When the barrel is seated I take a file to it, mine are almost always "tapered" when they are complete I.E same thickness at the breech and slightly thinner than we started with at the end of the tang. I've filed them down before to a thinner profile but it lead to issues like the tang bending upward when the tang screw or bolt is installed