Author Topic: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates  (Read 10097 times)

Offline grabenkater

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Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« on: January 25, 2011, 05:20:54 PM »
Who is your favorite source for brass castings? Both sand and investment.
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2011, 06:30:38 PM »
I like Reaves Goehring's and Dave Keck's (Knob Mountain). They use lovely soft yellow brass.

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Offline Dave B

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2011, 06:30:47 PM »
The one that has what I need.  I have had good luck with every one I have ordered one from. Lately I have gotten them from Reves Gorhing.
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Offline FlintFan

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2011, 06:35:16 PM »
I guess Track now has many investment cast buttplates in soft brass too. 

Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2011, 08:20:09 PM »
I guess Track now has many investment cast buttplates in soft brass too. 

That's good to know. I have not gotten anything from them in a long time, skeered of silicon bronze castings. I'll check them out again.

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California Kid

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2011, 08:38:10 PM »
Acer, they call it wax cast brass, but I believe its only brass, sort of , in color.
Probably the dreaded silicon bronze. They do have brass sand castings, but I doubt its 70/30 like Reaves.

Offline FlintFan

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2011, 09:06:30 PM »
TOW is starting to get investment castings in soft brass.  I have bought several of them so far.  Not all of their investment castings are in the soft brass yet, some are still in the horrible bronze.  Apparently this is a fairly recent switch over for them, and are increasing their selection of the newer castings.  If there are buttplates or other casting you are interested in call and ask if they are made from the new soft brass or the old bronze.  That's how I stumbled across this.  And yes, the buttplates (and trigger guards) I received were in nice soft brass. 

Offline grabenkater

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2011, 09:37:01 PM »
Why is there such an adversion to using cast bronze? I would imagine many of the originals have a range of from being brass to being bronze.
When a nation forgets her skill in war, when her religion becomes a mockery, when the whole nation becomes a nation of money-grabbers, then the wild tribes, the barbarians drive in... Who will our invaders be? From whence will they come?

Offline Rich

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2011, 12:14:57 AM »
Bronze is more brittle. Some will crack if you try to bend it. Color is another issue.

Offline bgf

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2011, 01:10:08 AM »
Bronze is more brittle. Some will crack if you try to bend it. Color is another issue.

I've noticed this as well, esp. the color.  If you get a mix of brass and/or bronze types, its also likely that the pieces will age differently.  I've got a patchbox kit that I never used and some brass sheet purchased at the same time -- the PB kit metal has only aged (?) a tiny bit, whereas the sheet is markedly duller, even more so on the rifle.

Offline Dphariss

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2011, 01:16:49 AM »
Why is there such an adversion to using cast bronze? I would imagine many of the originals have a range of from being brass to being bronze.

It you get a part cast of bronze you will quickly decide its a bad idea.
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keweenaw

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #11 on: January 26, 2011, 10:28:31 PM »
When you go to file that investment cast bronze and you file just skates on the surface ....

Dru Hedgecock has a fairly good assortment of sand cast guards and buttplates in yellow brass.  His are made from models, not cast from originals, so there is more metal to remove in shaping them out which gives one more options, but they're are certainly rougher than Reeve's stuff.   He makes some of the sand cast stuff that Track sells.  He used to come to Friendship and the CLA but isn't doing that anymore.  I just ordered three sets of stuff from him this morning.

Tom   

Offline grabenkater

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #12 on: January 26, 2011, 10:47:48 PM »
I just ordered by parts from Mr. Goehring last night. Thanks for the suggestions.

I have worked lots of bronze and I know it can be as hard as a womans heart  ;)
When a nation forgets her skill in war, when her religion becomes a mockery, when the whole nation becomes a nation of money-grabbers, then the wild tribes, the barbarians drive in... Who will our invaders be? From whence will they come?

Offline Cory Joe Stewart

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2011, 06:57:18 AM »
Grabenakater, do you mind me asking what the price range was on buttplates roughly?

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Offline yip

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #14 on: January 27, 2011, 03:45:41 PM »
 how does  one reach reaves goehring? is there a web site?

billd

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #15 on: January 27, 2011, 04:09:29 PM »
Yip,   Come to the Lewisburg Show next week. He will be there. 

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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #16 on: January 27, 2011, 04:09:33 PM »
The best way to reach Reaves is to go to a show. He goes to Dixon's and Lewisburg, and can be found at KRA show as well.

I don't know how to reach him by phone or mail.

Tom
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Offline David Veith

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #17 on: January 27, 2011, 04:16:15 PM »
Hit the seach botton been ask may times
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billd

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #18 on: January 27, 2011, 04:18:50 PM »
Reeves' butt plates are in the $25.00 range.  His are sand cast.    Dave Keck's are in the $35.00 range. His are investment cast.  They require a lot less work.  

Dave has a website.    http://www.knobmountainmuzzleloading.com/  

Reeves' number has been posted here before. A search should find it for you.  He has no website or email.

Bill

Offline grabenkater

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #19 on: January 27, 2011, 05:21:39 PM »
The gentleman is correct, they are in the $25 range.

I dont minde cleaning up the sandcast pieces, it gives me something to do and it refines my file skills.
When a nation forgets her skill in war, when her religion becomes a mockery, when the whole nation becomes a nation of money-grabbers, then the wild tribes, the barbarians drive in... Who will our invaders be? From whence will they come?

Bentflint

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Re: Sources for Cast Brass Buttplates
« Reply #20 on: January 28, 2011, 06:33:40 PM »
I talked to Reeves and bought a set of castings late last fall. #10 on his list, very nice castings, not rough at all and can be moved around by hand.

He said he was 83 and was going to retire and that he had bought the foundry that made his stuff. I said "Reeves, at 83 years old and buying a foundry does not sound like retiring to me". He laughed when I said that. Told me his daughter was taking over sales and her husband was working at the foundry learning to make the castings. There’s a good chance there will be a web site in the future. But, for now he is still doing business the old way.  A real pleasure to talk to him.

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