Lock Plates and Side Plates

[Old Sarge]

Since I started scouring this forum, I have noticed that a lot of custom rifles that are of the older schools appear to have lock plates and side plates (sometimes triggerguards) not completely inletted to the stock. On some trade rifles this is true. But some of the early PA rifles and Jaeger rifles also. I have seen this a lot and wonder if this was a common practice then and now. Any info and opinons are appreciated. Thanks Tom

 

[Zonie]

I don't think I've ever seen a old rifle with the lock plate not inletted into the stocks wood.

Some of them do appear to 'stand proud' of the wood but that is only because they are rather thick and they usually have a chamfer around them. This chamfer does leave about 1/16 of an inch that is perpendicular to the lockplates surface and this 1/16 inch edge is indeed inletted into the woods mortice.

As for the side plate, it depends on the gun.
Many side plates also have a chamfered area that stands 'proud of' to wood. These, like the lockplate are often inletted into a mortice.

I've seen some sideplates that are not in a mortice and they just sit on the surface of the wood. IMO, if one is reproducing a copy of such a gun they should follow suit and leave their side plate sitting on the wood.

As for me, I like to see the sideplate in a mortice. This area of a stock is very weak because so much wood has to be removed to make way for the barrel. By inletting the side plate it gives additional strength to this weak area in the stock. A sideplate that is just sitting on the surface of the wood adds very little strength to the area.

As for trigger guards that are not morticed into the wood, yes, I have seen a very few originals that were that way. IMO, these were built by amateurs and the rest of the gun(s) were equally poorly constructed.
I've also seen things nailed in place but to me that doesn't indicate the gun was well made. It only indicates the builder didn't know much about making a gun.

 

[rich pierce]

Whenever the lock plate or sideplate has a bevel that comprises about half the thickness of the lock, the plate is inletted only to the beginning of that bevel- the plate from the "bevel up" stands above the surface of the wood. Otherwise it always looks like the lock or sideplate is sitting in a hole.

On a later percussion lockplate, there is no bevel and the entire plate is inletted full depth. Generally speaking, "washer type" inlays for the lock bolts are inletted full depth as they have no bevel either.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Be careful when looking at documented old guns. Often, the museum pieces you see have old wood that has shunk a bit, exposing part of the lock plate. If you look at these fine old guns, you will easily see the beveled edges when holding the gun in front and below you, so that you are looking down at the stock and barrel. You will also see the design intent to make the stock, lock, and sideplates appear wider, and hence stronger, than the thinner width of the wrist of the stock.