Information about my butts
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ssgross
439xxx from 1910, and the one yet to be blued is 739xxx is 1924
So both of these are E series (the former is being trenched in this thread). I need to make some decisions about butts and buttplates. From these shotguns I have 1 stock with a splinter on the wrist, and not-yet-seperated cracks either side of the tang hole, and gives 13" LOP. On the other is a stock with a splinter on the wrist, no crack, but gives just under 11" LOP, and was obviously cut back. They both have the hard plastic/rubber buttplate. I'm inclined to pin and repair the wrist for the trench gun, see how it cleans up, before I decide on new wood. In any event, I need to decide what buttplate to use on it - the existing ones are all chewed up and you can't make out much of the logo anymore. The best info I have found is in this thread...
https://winchestercollector.org/foru...-and-buttpads/
My serial numbers are right in the middle of those purchased by the govt. Too late to have had the original smooth metal buttplates. But, the thread above says the hard rubber logo buttplates were installed on premium guns, and standard grade field guns wore the checkered metal plates with widows peak until about 1922 when the hard rubber logos were used on everything.
I can't find a picture anywhere of any 1897 with the checkered metal buttplate installed. Does anyone have one in original condition and can post a picture of its fit? Does the peak sit proud or flush?
Lastly, thoughts on whether the govt. purchased standard grade shotguns with checkered metal plates? I can't find any pictures of those either. Of course all the trench guns for sale with lots of pictures are of dubious origins, outright fakes, or honest clones, none of which answers my question. I have one of each...checkered metal buttplate and a minty hard rubber logo plate, so I can go either way on this.