• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Yes or No on tacks

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
No tacks. Brings up an interesting question though. How did the whole tack thing get started in the first place. Seems like maybe they were like wampum that got traded along with the rifle. Or maybe the thought was to add some "armor" to the wood to help protect it in rough field conditions.

.40
 
I put a few tacks on a Hawken I built- thought they looked pretty good- if done I recommend moderation
 

Attachments

  • 463B96AE-249D-4429-9418-41F5C71B789B.jpeg
    463B96AE-249D-4429-9418-41F5C71B789B.jpeg
    266.4 KB · Views: 160
No tacks. Brings up an interesting question though. How did the whole tack thing get started in the first place. Seems like maybe they were like wampum that got traded along with the rifle. Or maybe the thought was to add some "armor" to the wood to help protect it in rough field conditions.

.40
I am of the impression that the tacked original guns I've seen photos of were Indian guns. And the Indians were not shy about ornamentation. Quill work, painted pottery, feathers in their hair, paint on their faces and bodies and likely more I've not thought of.
And the mountain men adopted many Indian traits.

PS-I am in the no tacks camp. Also in the no more tax camp.
 
Unless you are trying for a decorated trade rifle look (which I'd also expect feathers, beads, and maybe braintan/rawhide wrap on), I think tacks look terrible. I bought my current rifle in spite of the tacks, which I eased out as soon as I'd confirmed, w/ the builder, that they weren't original.
 
So this is my GPR in .54cal love it but, the stock to me needs something little to give it some bling. I found some brass daisy tacks and it just so happens I named her Daisy :) So I took three and cut off the nail at the head and just put some bouble side tape on to see how she would look..hmmm I kind of dig it what do the rest of you guys or gals think?
View attachment 66369
Only if you can find matching earrings, necklaces and fingernail polish........... A matching handbag would be nice also.........

It's personal aesthetics, kinda like asking someone which you should like, Federalist, Victorian, mid century modern or post modernism. You like what you like, if it works for you then go for it, why should you care what anyone else thinks?
 
Not a fan of tacks at all. Inlays can be good - hunter's star for example. I like wire inlays too. But in the end, it is your gun, do it how YOU like it.
 
Patch box, carving, engraving is the way to fancy up a rifle. Practice on something else first.
 
I'd vote no, perhaps a small, hand formed piece of sterling, brass or even copper personalized with 'Daisy', your initials, a date or similar inlayed (or overlayed) would better suit me personally.
 
Back
Top