What is this ball on the butt do?

[loiblb]

This wheel lock has a round ball on the butt plate. I saw another one had it too. Having trouble downloading the pic of second one.

[Pukka Bundook]

When the gun is stood down, the ball is what it rests on to protect the end of the stock.

These are cheek stocks , so the ball never touches the shoulder in use.

All best,
Richard.

[RAT]

I never had the opportunity to handle one in person. I've only had the chance to see them in display cases.

My understanding from what I've read is that this is a vent pick. The round part you see is the head. The vent pick screws into a threaded hole in the butt.

It is correct that the stock only rests against the side of the cheek via the cheekpiece. I believe this is where the cheekpiece was invented. The butt does not contact the shoulder. A forked rest supported the forestock.

[smart dog]

Hi,
The ball was to protect the butt end during loading.  Often, those ends were highly decorated with bone and engraving and the rifle had to rest against the ground to load a tight ball or patch and ball.  So the ball was the stop protecting the butt end.  It did not routinely house any vent pick.  Generally they were fairly short and no forked rest was used. I have shot several made by Brian Anderson and they do not need any forked rest.

dave

[Pukka Bundook]

As Dave says.