Butt plate cap

[Oldbow]

Just finished forming a iron butt plate ( cold ) for a new Southern Virginia gun . Was going to braze a cap on it but was thinking of forming a piece of antler or bone for the cap.

I have see one old N.C. gun with this...... but ..... any thoughts on this?

[Dennis Glazener]

I keep hearing about some NC rifles having this feature but I have never seen an original. I was born and raised in southern VA and have lived in central VA since 1964 and have never seen a VA rifle with this trait. Not saying they weren't made this way but I have not seen one. Personally I would use iron but that's just me.
Dennis

[Hungry Horse]

 I agree with Dennis, I have seen a lot of really "artsy" innovations, on replica southern mountain rifles, that are claimed to be authentic features. Very few of them can be verified. When the muzzleloading community discovered the southern style rifles, a lot of builders took the bit in their teeth, and added primitive innovations that just weren't represented in the existing guns. So, its real easy to get off the reservation with this. Be careful, unless you are building a fantasy gun.

               Hungry Horse

[Micah2]

I seem to recall Hershel House using bone or horn on his earlier guns. They had no buttplates in fact.  Is that right?

[Daniel]

correct. There is an early one on the blog from the past. A great looking piece.

[Oldbow]

N. Carolina School of Longrifles 1765 to 1865  by Robert Hughes

Page 263 Rifle # 196

Not much of a cap but .....

[Dennis Glazener]

I keep hearing about some NC rifles having this feature but I have never seen an original.

Have to revise my statement, I have seen that rifle but had forgotten about it.
Dennis