Butt Plate...but for what gun?

[IMAUDIGGER]

Pretty sure this is a butt plate off an old black powder muzzle loader. It appears to be bronze or brass.

Anybody recognize the shape? Love the craftsmanship to include a hook to secure the part that wraps around the stock instead of a screw. (SILVER DOLLAR for reference )


Outside


Inside





It’s likely something someone might have been packing around in the 1850’s

 

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[ToddsPoint]

That's a neat find. You'd probably need an antique gun expert to find out. There are so many brands of old guns. Gary

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

That's a neat find. You'd probably need an antique gun expert to find out. There are so many brands of old guns. Gary

Thanks.
Yup, and we might just have a few lurking here. ; )
Maybe someone has great grand daddy’s old percussion long gun hanging on the wall in the living room and will recognize the pattern.

Took me a bit to mentally connect the two pieces. But upon closer inspection, I saw that they were made from the same material and had matching tear marks.

 

[MKW]

I think that you have 2 separate pieces of a rifle. The one is part of a buttplate, but I'm pretty sure the other piece is from the tang in the grip section..

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I think that you have 2 separate pieces of a rifle. The one is part of a buttplate, but I'm pretty sure the other piece is from the tang in the grip section..

While I agree it looks a little odd from being bent..the tear marks are an exact match and the screw hole coincides with each other.

The closest I found last night was a Brown Bess butt plate, which was secured with two screws and a pin.

EXAMPLE





I believe that example is from a flintlock.
Maybe they made a percussion rifle and the methods of securing the plate evolved to eliminate the pin? The shape is certainly very similiar.

 

[MKW]

Ah, that looks close. I never thought of it bending over the top.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I would say (guess) a percussion shotgun based on the narrowness, shallow curve, and also the "key" on the tang to fit into a slotted groove on the stock. That would put it later, after stock-duplicating machines (c. 1822) and routed inlets came into use. Also that long narrow tip at the end of the tang is a British feature.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Another source has said its typical for an English style Fowler or Shotgun.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Here is another. Much heavier.
I was thinking Springfield Trapdoor, but it's not curved...
The thing that jumps out at me is the huge screw holes.
No markings except maybe a small letter stamp that I can't read. Could just be a ding.

 

[DCMatt]

Here is a butt plate for an English fowler made by Richard Wilson of London 1750 - 1760.

Closer?

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Here is a butt plate for an English fowler made by Richard Wilson of London 1750 - 1760.

Closer?

View attachment 1854131

The source that helped me said the earlier versions typically had rounded sides (on the butt plate proper), with the late 1800's versions being more flat.

The picture you provided almost looks like it IS rounded a bit on the sides.
But the rest looks spot on.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Your second buttplate might be a M1842.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Your second buttplate might be a M1842.

View attachment 1854140

I think you may be right. My find isn't stamped US though.
Dang! I want one!!! The entire gun that is.

Going to have to read about Harpers Ferry VS Springfield Armory tonight.

 

[Tony in SC]

I think Charlie has it. Strapped but plate from early percussion gun.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

Well the per the second butt plate I posted, the Springfield M1842 butt plates were all stamped US and were made from steel.

This one is brass or bronze and not stamped US.

The search goes on.

An Lorenz DornStutzen M1854 Carbine also utilized a very similiar butt plate.
Again it was steel.

I think this pattern was fairly common around that time period, but they were not interchangeable due to minor variations in the dimensions.
Love to find out it was part of a scarce variety of civil war rifle that someone needs to complete their project.