That was my first, and still strongest, suspicion. The second would be strengthening to resist breakage from being dropped on rock from an elevation... They are, after all, Southern MOUNTAIN rifles, and this might provide more strength w/ less weight than leaving extra wood... Hmmm... perhaps that would also be a practical advantage of iron mounts over brass...
TENNESSEE RIFLES
By Robin C. Hale
A paper presented at the Fall, 1970 meeting of the American Society
of Arms Collectors at Houston, Texas
This view (fig. 17) of the top of the rifle shows the extremely long tang, which extends up and over the comb to within a couple of inches of the buttplate. Long tangs of this type were at one time thought by others to be used exclusively by the Bean and Bull families of gunsmiths. Although they are sometimes found on rifles
bewing Bean and Bull signatures, I have seen as many or more rifles by these men which had tangs that
didn't extend beyond the comb. Willhelms, Lawing, and the Gross's also utilized the extremely long tangs.
I speak from personal experience when I say that they are the 'L~ry devil" to inlet into the stock, and I
can't imagine them being put on rifles simply because they look good on the guns. I think that the principal
reason for these long tangs was that they were intended to impart atrength to the wrist of the stock. Some
tangs are fastened between the comb and butt plate with screws or pins and tenons as well as along the
wrist.
From
TENNESSEE RIFLES
By Robin C. Hale
A paper presented at the Fall, 1970 meeting of the American Society
of Arms Collectors at Houston, Texas