Toe plate patchbox

[cmac]

I know I've seen photos of a toe plate patch box somewhere. I believe it was one of Hershel's rifles. I'm thinking of putting one on a Virginia rifle I'm building. I used the search function and came up with nothing. Anybody have any photos or links?
 

[G-Man]

cmac there is a well known but not well published Baxter Bean rifle known as the "3-box Bean" that has one - I will send you photos if I can track some down. It has a double banana box and a toeplate box as you are describing.

Hershel has also done a number of these and I will see what else I can find for you.


Guy

[cmac]

Thanks to those that sent me pictures. It seems as though most are on later rifles. Any reason this would be a "big no" on an Early Virginia. Mounts are brass in case anyone was wondering.

[G-Man]

The earliest one of these I know of is on a rifle dated 1803.

Guy

[J. Talbert]

Here's one that Hershel made.  Look at the Spears rifle.

http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/search?q=hershel+house
Jeff

[Dave Dolliver]

October Country, Idaho, has a hinged toeplate patchbox assy in their inventory.

Dave Dolliver

[Majorjoel]

How about a buttplate patch box. This is from an old French double flintlock shotgun. I do not have a clue what would have been stored inside.       

[Chris Treichel]

That buttplate one... see how deep it is... may have been for a bayonet.  I have seen several guns that had a compartment for a bayonet for hunting or military purposes. Hunting arms sometimes had bayonets to dispatch game especially for hunting boar.

example: http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/14627/lot/21/

[rsells]

I found a photograph of the Bean rifle with a patchbox in the toeplate that I am sending to you by normal email.  Hope it will be of help.
                                                                  Roger Sells

[cmac]

Thanks to everyone for the comments, links, etc. I made one somewhat like Hershel's. I will post pictures under gun building- 1st pistol and an early Virginia rifle. I have the stock finished and am doing the metal finishing now. Should post soon

[nvandal]

One of the Louie Parker Hawkens on Contemporary Makers blogspot has a toe plate cap box. Check it out. Beautifully made!

[Birddog6]

Here is one I did a couple years ago on a Tenn rifle..  I saw an original that most of the toeplate hinged that gave me the idea. I didn't do mine that way, as it appeared if hunting & the plate would come unlatched & it caught on something, it could tear the whole toeplate off & possibly damage the toe wood.  So I did mind a lil different.







Keith Lisle

[curly]

Muzzle Loaders Supply has a nice selection of toe plate patch boxes.

Curly

[bgf]

Those are neat.  I also think it would be fun to hide the hinge and put the release inside the main box.  As DKL points out, I would be afraid the external release might get caught in brush and dump my stashed treasures. 

One thing I noticed with the H. House Spears rifle is how many TINY knuckles he managed on that narrow lid -- the metal must be pretty thin!  Also, he retained the pin by mashing down the outermost knuckles; once they are filed a little bit, the hinge barely shows in profile.  Very nice touches.