What are the disadvantages of using wood screws for the tang?

[Leatherbark]

I've noticed in building books they are attached with wood screws somtimes

Bob

[rich pierce]

The tang bolt that goes through also holds the trigger plate in place and can act as a clamp to reinforce the stock at a weak point.

[T*O*F]

You should have phrased your question as, "What are the advantages of using wood screws for the tang?"

Then we could have simply answered, "None."

[Don Getz]

In the many times that I was part of the Conner Prairie Workshops, the one thing that stood out was their use of wood
screws down thru the tang, instead of a bolt down to the trigger plate.   This seemed to be a John Schippers thing that
he advocated.  Until last week, I never did this, always used a tang bolt down to the trigger plate.   A "barn gun" that
we are working on has a very nice, tight fit around the trigger, so, in order to speed up the build time we eliminated the
triggeer plate and used a wood screw thru the tang, and am sure it will work just fine........Don

[Majorjoel]

I also consider the tang bolt through trigger plate another one of the needed points holding the stock to the barrel. It really sturdy's things up! When ever I see the tang held with wood screws I see the builder taking a short cut on quality. One exception.....if copying a "southern" rifle and the original used wood screws. Ahhh, I'd still bolt it through the plate.....Joel

[54Bucks]

 Not to disagree with a tang bolt fastened to a trigger plate being more often traditionally accurate.Yet not drilling a bolt sized hole completely thru the tang to trigger area, and instead using an appropriately sized wood screw installed correctly, would weaken this area less.

[Gaeckle]

I have an old antique. 2 wood screws hold the tang in place (long tang) and the trigger plate and entire assembly is held fast by the trigger guard which is pinned.

Guess the old boys used wood screws in this fashion

[Dennis Glazener]

Not to disagree with a tang bolt fastened to a trigger plate being more often traditionally accurate.Yet not drilling a bolt sized hole completely thru the tang to trigger area, and instead using an appropriately sized wood screw installed correctly, would weaken this area less.

I tend to agree. I have built rifles both ways. I can not see where a bolt through the wrist would be any stronger than where a properly sized wood screw would be. On many southern mountain rifles you will not see a screw through the trigger plate. The trigger plate was held in by the trigger guard which in turn was screwed on with small wood screws (not sure why unless it meant less screws in the wrist area). I have seen several rifles built this way and even after years of use the tang/wrist/trigger plate is still all together and without cracks/splits in the wrist
Dennis

[Dphariss]

I've noticed in building books they are attached with wood screws somtimes

Bob

Cheap, weak alternative to a tang screw run into the trigger plate.


Dan

[Randall Steffy]

I would say a wood screw should be considered a fastener with a limited life compared to a bolt threaded into an iron triggerplate of adequate thickness. A wood screw is inclined to strip the threads out of the wood as compared to iron threaded into iron. Draw this connection up tight and you have a clamped, reinforced section of wrist.  At least that is my perspective.

[cal.43]

imho metall and wood is not the best combination with changing temperatures and humidity.

[blunderbuss]

I've worked on several wood screw through the tangs and many are stripped out However it probally worked for 100 years before it stripped out and that's a fairly easy problem to fix. It does seem they're on cheaper rifles.

It would be easier than drilling through the stock,some of those old gunsmiths didn't have such good equipment.