Antler butt plate

[billd]

Thinking ahead to my next build........  A very slim, small caliber mountain rifle. I'd like to use a antler piece for a butt plate. Are whitetail antlers to porous for this? If so, how about elk or moose? Any other suggestions?

Bill

[Dave B]

I have seen examples of toe plates and heel returns made from antler. I would think you could find a section to make your butt plate from finding the curve may be a challenge.

[chapmans]

Here is one Don Kammerer built but it doesn't have much curve.

[lew wetzel]

thats awesome....

[Birddog6]

I don't know about a moose, but a Elk antler is very porous & you just have a thin hard part around it til you get up to the ends of the tines.
That being said, you would have to find one Exactly the shape you want to keep out of the porous part. I think a large whitetail antler piece would be much better, more solid & easier to obtain than buying a elk antler & not finding what will work.  It is even hard to get a pair of matching knife scales of any size out of a elk antler because the solid part is so thin, let alone a buttplate..

[Rolf]

Have you tryed caribou? Reindeer antler is almost solid all the way through.
The laps in Norway make spoons and knife sheaths from it.

Best regards

ROlfkt

[billd]

Thanks for the replies. 

ROlfkt,  I never even thought of caribou or riendeer. I suspect caribou would be very porous if you can judge by the speed they grow. I know nothing about riendeer. Where would I be able to buy a piece?  Any in your part of the world?

Birddog,  I guess it will be whitetail. I'll have to buy a piece. They don't grow many big enough in PA.

Chapman,  Any chance of more pictures of the butt of that riflre?

Thanks,
Bill

[chapmans]

  Bill,
   I sure will, excactly what kind of a view would you like? I probably won't get to do it until Tues. I have to work 13 hrs tomorrow. That rifle uses a stock pattern of John Armstrong, Don liked that pattern because it holds really well.
   Regards, Steve C

[billd]

Steve   Thanks for the offer.  I'd like a close-up view of both sides and one from the back showing the profile of the butt.

Thanks,
Bill

[chapmans]

 Bill,
  I have one more already in photobucket I'll post it, then when I have time I'll get some better ones.



More to come,
   Steve

[chapmans]

  Bill,
  Here is a boy's ( in this case girls) rifle with antler just on the heel and toe.







  Steve

[Rolf]

Thanks for the replies. 

ROlfkt,  I never even thought of caribou or riendeer. I suspect caribou would be very porous if you can judge by the speed they grow. I know nothing about riendeer. Where would I be able to buy a piece?  Any in your part of the world?

For reindeer horn, you can try these people. http://natournor.com/duodjin/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=49&sort=20a&language=en
Send them an email and explain what size/ thickness you need.
But I'd check out caribou first. The they are a close relativ to reindeer and proably give a bigger pice of horn to work with. I've seen 15" x 2" yakac carvings in solid caribou antler.Both animals shedd and regrow their antlers each year.
You can buy caribou here http://www.hideandfur.com/inventory/22200024.html
And this guy migth be worth a try http://www.antlerman.monstermuleys.com/


Best regards
Rolfkt

[chapmans]

Bill,
   I finally got the pics, I'm have trouble with my computer, it's a little better but it's still not right.
   I hope these views are what you wanted.













There you go!
   Steve

[billd]

Steve,   That's perfect.  Thanks.  In pic #3 there's a small triangular mark about 3/8" below the comb on the butt plate. Is that notched out for some reason or is it just that the color of the antler matches the stock?

Thanks again,
Bill

[chapmans]

Bill,
   That's just a place where the antler took on some of the stain, the porous areas will take stain more readily than the solid areas.
   Good luck with your build, if I can be of further assistance let me know.
   Regards, Steve

[Dennis Glazener]

A very slim, small caliber mountain rifle

I don't want to be a spoil sport but I would think a 'small caliber mountain" rifle would have a whitetail deer antler instead of a moose, caribou etc antler.

I believe I have seen whitetail antlers that were thick/large enough to cut a small buttplate out of. Especially if you made the return out of a second piece.
Dennis

[chapmans]

Dennis,
 The antler on both of the guns I posted pics of are from whitetails,  on the small walnut gun the antler is from a buck I killed on Nov. 17 1979. The reason I can remember that it's the same day I met my wife., we'll be married 29 years on April 19TH
   Steve

[flintman-tx]

Moose is very solid. As a flintknapper, I find it to be the best for percussion work on stone. It is not porous like deer and elk. Expensive though. If you can find a piece of axis deer antler, it is also solid. The crowns are expensive as well and may not be as large as what you are looking for. I have used caribou only to notch with  so cannot comment on the larger pieces.

[billd]

Steve, Thanks again. It will be a few weeks till I finish what I'm working on now. I have most of the parts for this one I'm planning, except the lock and, of course the antler. I'm still in the market for something with enough diameter. We don't grow them that big in PA.

[rdillon]

That is very cool Im going to try this on my next "Schimmel" I build.  Thanks for the pictures and ideas.

[G-Man]

If I recall correctly, there is at least one Appalachian style gun attributed to North Carolina shown in one of Jim Johnston's accoturements books that has a bone or antler buttplate.  I think there may also be a relatively fancy piedmont North Carolina gun in the MESDA collection that has one as well.
It's been a long time since I've looked at those books - will have to check.

Guy