English Trigger plate

[M.D.H. Flintlocks]

Been a while since I posted, but was looking for some pic's that you all may have. Any close ups, dimensions and so forth on English Fowling Trigger plates would be useful.
Thanks
M

[Eric Krewson]

I had the same question a while back, a nice guy sent me a picture of an original fowler trigger plate which I tried to replicate.

As a beginner I don't know if I got it correct but it is probably close. 3" long, 3/4" wide at the widest with an offset trigger slot like the original.

The gun in the picture is not finished and just has walnut sealer on it. I found the stock wasn't completely dry and is shrinking away from the metal. I will let it dry for a year and get rid of flat spots like the one that shows in the picture below.



Here it is shaped but not completely finished.

[E.vonAschwege]

These photos show two french pistols - the one on top is one I made, the bottom an original silver mounted piece.  The bottom is an image I sketched up of some English fowler and pistol triggerplates from the last quarter of the 1700s.   I have photos but don't have permission to share them here.  I've seen English fowlers with both styles of triggerplate.  The trigger set to the lock side is pretty common too for English and French guns, not usually found on commercially available parts.  Hope this helps, see you a couple days!  
-Eric



 

[J. Talbert]

Here are a couple of a later English style fowler I made a number of years ago; (Engraving by Ron Ehlert)

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I have no clue why the second shows up twice. 

Jeff

[whitebear]

On the second gun, that showed up twice, is the checkering stained or is that the natural color after finishing?

[James Rogers]

Here is a nice trigger plate from an English fowling piece circa late 1760's.
It's extension has a slot for the trigger guard hook as well as a countersunk hole for the wrist escutcheon bolt.

 

[Bob Roller]

That is sheer elegance and you must have the skill of a brain surgeon
and the patience of Job or a wooden Indian to inlet that trigger plate.

Bob Roller

[KLMoors]

James, when you say "trigger guard hook", do you mean that the triggerguard tab hooks onto the trigger plate? As in the trigger guard is not pinned, but hooked and held in place by the trigger plate (which is held in place by the tang bolt)?

Thanks,

Ken

[James Rogers]

Exactly. That first tab of the rear extension is formed to slide in and lock into the trigger plate. The rear tab is pinned thru the wood. The tab on the front extension is pinned thru the wood as well and the trigger plate has been grooved to accept that tab.

[J. Talbert]

Whitebear,

As best as I can recall, I did the checkering after the stock had been stained, but before the finishing.  I'm afraid my memory of the process is a bit fuzzy.  The grain was filled with black paste filler, but I do recall avoiding getting that into the checkering.

Jeff

[KLMoors]

Cool. Thanks James.

[Jim Kibler]

In the handful of 18th century English guns I've had apart, all have had trigger plates that run under the guard as James's example shows.

Jim

[M.D.H. Flintlocks]

Thanks all.  It was good to be at the Show and see a everyone.  And it was nice to be on the crowd side of the show this year. I actually got to SEE the show this time LOL!!!

M