Randy Schneider
32 Cal.
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2015
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 0
Just a couple thoughts on butt placement. More questions really. I just finished a kentucky rifle were I was able to take the lines of an original and copy it as closely as I could. I found the original at an antique store in VERY bad condition. I paid almost nothing for it. I was able to salvage the set trigger, the trigger guard and the butt plate for use on the new rifle. The original butt plate is very curved but fits the pocket between my shoulder and bicep perfectly. On the original, I find that I had to bend my neck to get sights alligned. On mine, I added a check piece. I like the way it looks but with it I find that the sights line up so much better for me. I dont have to bend nearly as much. Im not clear on when check pieces began to be used. Is there a connection between the curved butt and adding cheek pieces? Another thought that I had has to do with recoil. I have a Sharon .54 Hawken that I built in 1987. Very good copy of original Hawken. It also has a very curved butt plate and a cheek piece. I hunt Elk and deer with it every year. My load is 120 ff, .530 rb with a .017 ticking patch and cork wad between. Even though it has a bit of a push when fired, it is never uncomfortable to shoot. Very pleasant actually. The butt fits perfectly off shoulder. Same placement as my kentucky. Is it possible that the original Hawken rifles had the curved butt to help with the recoil from heavy loads? Your upper arm has the ability unlike the shoulder to move backward and help absorb recoil like a shock absorber. My hunting buddy has a reworked Renegade with a GR round ball barrell. It fits best right on the shoulder. He uses the same load as me, but his seems to have way more recoil. Just wondering.
