Author Topic: Lengthening a Butt Plate  (Read 2823 times)

Offline Kevin Houlihan

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Lengthening a Butt Plate
« on: July 31, 2012, 01:43:30 AM »
  I have a cast butt plate for a southern rifle project but wish it was a little "taller."  I would like it to have a more pronounced curve, but if I bend it to add to the curve it will "shorten" the height of the BP.  Can I solder a piece in to add to the toe area and effectively lengthen it?  I saw a 2 piece BP once sort of like a shotgun Heel & Toe PB except this one had brass in between the 2 pieces where the checkered wood normally would be.  Can I solder brass to cast steel?   I'm open to any suggestions.  I've looked on-line and most of the narrow curved steel Butt Plates seem to be around 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 " tall.
Thanks,
Kevin 

Offline kutter

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Re: Lengthening a Butt Plate
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2012, 02:09:16 AM »
You can increase the length of the butt portion by forging it out. It'll be somewhat thinner as the metal is drawn out.
But carefully shaping back into a slight rounded contour will give it the look needed.
Lacking a 'forge',,You'll need at least an acytelene torch to get enough heat quickly enough before forging it out.
I wouldn't do it cold, but even a small amount may be able to be gotten from it that way. There's a chance it can crack during cold forging though if you over do it.

You can soft solder, hard solder(silver solder) and/or braze the butt plate also. Either steel to steel or brass to steel.
You can weld an extension on also if you have access to that.

Alot of work to cut and place an insert inbetween the halves to increase the length, and have it look good too.

On some brass butt plates, I've seen the toe and the heal tips made of steel. Brazed into place, possibly just silver soldered. The idea is to better take the wear of ground contact during loading and setting around talking!
You could go the opposite way, and make a brass extension at the toe and a corresponding brass tip at the heal after trimming that a bit to keep the contour right.
Kind of defeats the purpose of a 'wear plate' but it'll get you the added length to the plate w/o it looking so much like an add-on piece for no other purpose than that.

Or,,you could just set that plate aside for another project (there will be more!), and purchase another in a size better suited for this particular rifle.

Just some thoughts...

Offline Kevin Houlihan

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Re: Lengthening a Butt Plate
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2012, 02:58:24 AM »
  Kutter,
Those are all good ideas.  The 2 piece w/ the brass in between looked great, but I agree it's probably a lot of work.  I may try solder it or failing that have a friend weld it.  Assuming it's going to be stick welded, do I have to use a special kind of rod so that I can rust brown the finished piece?
Thanks,
Kevin

Offline kutter

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Re: Lengthening a Butt Plate
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2012, 07:27:47 AM »
I do  oxy-acetylene welding when needed and use some nickel/steel rod that Brownells sells.
I was gifted a handful of it some years back and it works well.
I think it's 3% nickel,,something like that. Supposed to be good for gunsmiths 'cause it blues and browns w/o any problems and that I can say is true. Never had a problem with it.

I know of some that use anything from coat hangers to bits of wire hanging around the shop. I've not been lucky going that route.

Arc welding is something I can't help with, but a filler rod in the mild steel range would seem to do it.
Nothing fancy..

Just make sure the person that does the welding for you understands it will be blued or browned.
Many around here having learned and worked in the high-tech fields seem to want to weld with stainless on everything they get!

Offline Roger Fisher

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Re: Lengthening a Butt Plate
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2012, 02:32:12 AM »
You would like more curve??  (A later time period rifle perhaps?)  More than one of us wonder why? ???

Offline Kevin Houlihan

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Re: Lengthening a Butt Plate
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2012, 02:46:44 AM »
 More curves are probably better in women and not butt plates ;D.  I really like the southern rifles with an exaggerated curve to the butt plate where the toe sticks way out.  However, I have decided to use use a late Virginia (Sheetz) butt plate which is a little longer.  The Sheetz butt plate is also 1 5/8 " wide and should be more comfortable with a .54 cal.
Thanks!
Kevin