doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Skeleton Butt Plates (Pictures)

Glenn,

I recently bought one from CSMS for a custom Fox that I am working on. Doug Mann is going to do the stock if I ever get done with the frame. I was suprised at how thin it was actually. I think I like the thicker piece. I wonder if it will cause problems with balancing the gun. Just how thick is the one you are making? I'd like to hear more info.

Bill G.

Nice work Glen.

CSM's is I believe 2.54 millimeters or .100" thick and weighs in at about 43 grams or 1 5/8 ounces.

Gentlemen:

Thank you for your comments.

The blank is .100" thick. In looking at the pictures it does seem to appear a bit thicker than it really is. The trouble with a thinner plate is having room for the screw counterbore and the web said screw seats on. Still, I am open to ideas here.

My scale shows the plate to weigh 2 ounces.

The inside will be cut with a 5 degree draft to facilitate fitting. The outside will machined square, perpendicular to the "face" of the plate. This will blend around to the kiss the top of the widows peak. We are not cutting a draft on the outside of the peak, but there is draft in this area as a result of the forming process.



I am unsure of the market. This is "Adventures in Capitalism 101" There certainly is a demand, but how quickly it is sated remains to be seen. Success or not, this project has taken on a life of its own and there is nothing for it but to ride it to the end.

The shape at the top and bottom screws are negotiable. There will be a second blank with extra metal in that area. We will machine a "pointy shape" (technical talk, don't try this at home) instead of the radius. We will have to decide just what shape to make and program it. I need input from all you "pointy shape" fans.

The last possibility is custom shapes based on the same outside configuration and hole location. We are looking at the possibility of copying directly from your artwork. Surprisingly, this will cost more.

Thank y'all for the comments and ideas. All thoughts are welcome.

Regards,

Glenn

Glen, Here is a pic of a Stan McFarland bp, the best I've seen. The heel is fuller and rounder, which I like, although the toe is more pointed which I don't like.

Made from .100" stock, 5.125" tall, 1.655" at the widest. I still have the buttplate if I can help?
What are the dimensions of yours?

Steven:

I see just what you mean, and you are right. The McFarland plate looks much better with that true radius at the top. I will print out the picture and see what we can do about this.

The plate as is measures 5.1" x 1.7", so the dimensions are close. We just need to attend the heel.

Thank you very much for the help.

Glenn

Bill, the Parker butt plates yhat I've seen and used are as you say with a larger hole more on the radius of the heel. The newer ones that we're seeing now are lower ( more on the face of the plate) and the top and bottom screw are the same size. I personally like the newer style better but to each his own.

We are lucky that Glenn took this endevour on because the supply of skeleton butt plates was mighty thin. :o.

I like the thicker plate myself because as Dennis says you aren't going to crack the web with these. You also have lots of material to shape the edges into the shape you want.

Glenn knows that I have my order in for a couple of special plates when he gets the operation sorted out.

Glen,
I like them a bit taller, considering 5" about minimum, a 12 ga with some extra LOP might deserve 5 1/4" tall. It's easy to shorten one by 1/8" but a bitch to stretch.
BTW, I've never used a skeleton buttplate and would be more interested in a solid one.
The screws that came with this one are 12x24 with .375" head .150" thick and 8x24 .220" head .120" thick, machine screw threads.
Thanks for seeking input. Keep us posted.
SDH
(It's better for installing with the upper screw on the heel to pull it both down and forward, but I'm sure more difficult to make that way.)

I guess I'm just partial to big butts because my short stocked Parker pigeon gun that I thought had a small butt actually has a 5 1/2 inch long skeleton buttplate. I recently bought a couple of unfinished, represented to be original Parker, buttplates that are 6" by almost 2". I am saving them for an eight gauge or a real big pigeon gun. The inside area of these unfinished plates is way bigger than the inside area of my #2 frame pigeon gun buttplate which is Parker factory work. I've not seen a real big factory Parker skeleton butt actually on a gun. I know everyone wants a little bird gun, Glenn, but some of these custom gun projects are HE Foxes and big pigeon guns which probably look better with a 5 1/2" or bigger plate. My two big plates are probably a lifetime supply for me.

Glenn,
I bought 10 of McFarland's direct from him a while back and since you are a fellow ACGG member..... If you would like to have one in hand, contact me. I have been trying to find a good looking solid plate and cannot find one. Please do produce a solid one also. If you have any solid blanks, I need one (soon/now). I like the looks of yours so far although I'll need to use one to really know. Hint Hint.

I just thought of another desire I have with these. I'd like to see a couple sizes and one with a round toe. In addition to what you are doing, not instead of. The round toe for shotguns and a smaller size for short LOP low caliber guns. There is not enough material on the edges to simply file them down smaller.