Lehigh buttplate help?

[longhunter1757]

Hello all!
   Got a parts kit the other day for a build for my son. Lehigh style smoothrifle. The buttplate that came with it is a bit thinner than I'd like.
I found the one I have on Tracks website -
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/partDetail.aspx?catId=14&subId=144&styleId=527&partNum=BP-READ-1-I
This one is 1 5/8 wide and about 5 3/8" long. I'd like to be around 1 13/16 - 1 7/8 wide. I've searched Track, MBS and TVM but no luck. I can find wider but they're shorter too. Does anyone know where I can get something like this?

Thanks in advance!

Rich Baker

[VP]

Rich,
Allen Martin has some excellent Lehigh buttplates that might fit your need. His web site info is www.allenmartinrifles.com. It should have his contact info on it. His buttplates are just shy of 5" long and 1 3/4" wide and are fairly flat to represent an early style Lehigh.

Van

[longhunter1757]

Looks Like Allen's website is either down or just plain gone.
I can't believe I didn't think of contacting him myself. 

Thanks vpitman!

Rich

[smshea]

 If your looking for something for a fully developed Lehigh, most of whats available is in the 5" tall range. Reeves Gorings 13 and 33 are both about as early as you can get in a developed Lehigh. The 13 is off of the 1787 Niehart and Ive seen it on an unsigned Neihart that I believe could be earlier. 13 is very similar to the 33, just flatter...33 has more curve and was taken from a gun thought to be Kuntz but turned out to be Rupp or vise-versa . 33 can be straightened and filed to approximate the 13. Reeves number 14 is also a Lehigh plate but later and thinner.
Dave Keck sells one very close to a 33. Check out his web site.   

[Dale Campbell]

If it is a soft and thick casting you could anneal and hit it to stretch the width.  Cross pein hammer.

Credit where credit is due.  Acer suggested that to me for a sideplate that was too short.  Worked like a charm.

[longhunter1757]

smshea - Does Reeves have a website? A search turned up nothing.

Dale C - forgot to mention - I need it in steel, not brass which is further compounding the problem.

[Bill of the 45th]

Reeves, is super low tech, a touch tone phone is about as high tech  as he gets.    Dave Keck, at Knob Mountain has fantastic Brass Lehigh castings also.  I don't have Reeves number but someone else should.

Bill

[Nate McKenzie]

Dave Keck at Knobmountain Muzzleloading has a nice wide Lehigh BP and his castings are top notch.

[whitebear]

To widen your steel but plate take a trip to your friendly blacksmith and tell him your problem.  He should be able to heat it up and stretch it side to side like was suggested for brass.

[longhunter1757]

Whitebear,
   Thanks! I'll consider that also. I got a buddy with a forge that could do that. Just hope the casting isn't too thin for it.

Rich

[fm tim]

Try this link for Allen Martin:

http://www.flaminharry.com/allenmartin.html

[longhunter1757]

fm tim, 
    Tried the email address listed on that site and it's no good. Found Allen's email on here and set him one last night. Hope to hear from him soon.

Thanks!

Rich