wooden underib

[Dan Herda]

What builders or what area of the country did gunsmiths use wood underibs?


where they used on plains rifles,Lehmans etc?

[flintriflesmith]

There are going to be exceptions to any general statement but I believe the wooden under rib on half stock rifles is primarily a New England feature.

Gary

[Dan Herda]

Odd question, but is it known what propted builders to use wood?
Maybe a weight factor.?

[tallbear]

I would guess that thrifty New England Yankee's being what they are,I would guess cost.They could make a rifle with less stock wood and not have to buy the rib.Most New England rifles of the period had hardware store barrels and locks.

Mitch

[Dave Dolliver]

Wooden under ribs are mentioned in the book on New England guns but no pictures given.  Many early N. E. guns were made from cast off F & I war parts.   Perhaps sometimes using a stock that was broken in the fore end.  Someting was needed to hold the ram rod and wood came off so replace it with wood.   I have made 4  wood rib half stocks so far.  They save a tiny bit of weight but I doubt that that was the reason for doing it in old times.  I think it was that wood was available and iron was not at the instant it was needed.

Dave Dolliver

[rich pierce]

I would guess that thrifty New England Yankee's being what they are,I would guess cost.They could make a rifle with less stock wood and not have to buy the rib.Most New England rifles of the period had hardware store barrels and locks.

Mitch

+1, best hypothesis I've heard so far.