Win 97 Butt Plate

[bug]

I'll take a chance here. I picked up an early Win 97 (82,000 SN) and it needs a metal plate. Any thoughts?? TIA

 

Bob D

[Uncle Dudley]

http://www.ebay.com/...=item257a7c32fa

 

http://www.ebay.com/...=item2a28c550df

 

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=327816825

Edited February 5, 2013 by Uncle Dudley

[TSMGguy]

http://homesteadparts.com/shopcart/pid_1025.htm

[bug]

http://homesteadpart...rt/pid_1025.htm

 

Thanks T, My luck's in play here so of course they're out of stock.....

[Bruce Canfield]

I'll take a chance here. I picked up an early Win 97 (82,000 SN) and it needs a metal plate. Any thoughts?? TIA

 

Bob D

Unless it is a rebuild, you will need a black plastic buttplate with the intertwined WRA logo.

[bug]

I'll take a chance here. I picked up an early Win 97 (82,000 SN) and it needs a metal plate. Any thoughts?? TIA

 

Bob D

Unless it is a rebuild, you will need a black plastic buttplate with the intertwined WRA logo.

 

Bruce,

 

Now that's a surprise. I was bidding on one of the plates posted above. It was metal and had the widows peak. When I looked closer at the pics the plate had a distinct curve where it met the stock. The stock I have has a flat butt . I know nothing of the gun other than that it was made around the turn of the century according to the SN. The stock is in really nice shape so it could be a replacement. Someone could have cut the stock base flat when they installed the aftermarket plate that was on it when I got it. Where can I get a good photo or information as to what the stock base should look like?

 

Bob D

[Bruce Canfield]

Bob,

 

The gun may have been made at the turn of the century, but the metal buttplate is not factory. The buttplate you describe sounds like the type commonly used in post-World War I rebuilds. I have some close-up photos of the factory buttplate in my latest book on U.S. combat shotguns.

[bug]

Bruce,

 

Thanks again for your info. I work with an FFL and I believe he has a copy of your book. I'll check it out.

 

I'm wondering what they used for plastic in 1899. Will the plate look anything like this link??

 

 

http://homesteadpart...rt/pid_1025.htm

 

Bob D

[Lancer]

Bruce,

 

Thanks again for your info. I work with an FFL and I believe he has a copy of your book. I'll check it out.

 

I'm wondering what they used for plastic in 1899. Will the plate look anything like this link??

 

 

http://homesteadpart...rt/pid_1025.htm

 

Bob D

 

Linky no worky!

[emmagee1917]

It was more like a hard rubber material , IIRC. Most have hardened and turned brittle over time . The modern repros duplicate the look , but not exactly the feel of the originals .

Chris

[bug]

Bruce,

 

Thanks again for your info. I work with an FFL and I believe he has a copy of your book. I'll check it out.

 

I'm wondering what they used for plastic in 1899. Will the plate look anything like this link??

 

 

http://homesteadpart...rt/pid_1025.htm

 

Bob D

 

Linky no worky!

 

 

Thanks for the heads up. I don't know how I screwed that up. It is the link in post #3 above in this thread.

[TSMGguy]

The original 1897 butt plates were made of hard rubber. Because of this, they were somewhat delicate and are prone to wear and cracking.

 

Replacements as sold above are really easy to fit. Screw the new butt plate into place. Scribe a line around the edge of butt plate where it overhangs the stock. Remove the plate, then file or sand to shape. Lastly, use very fine sand paper to remove the file/sanding marks. Polish the edges, and you have a very factory looking job.

 

If installing on a new butt stock, attach the butt plate and shape it during the stock's finish sanding operation, just as the Winchester factory did, all of those years ago.

 

Gunparts also has what you need, though I have not used this particular part of theirs and cannot attest to its quality:

 

http://www.gunpartsc...cts/247960A.htm

Edited February 18, 2013 by TSMGguy

[bug]

Thanks for the help, everyone. I guess it's safe to assume that the early buttplates did not have the widows peak. This stock may be from a period when they did use metal plate with peak.

[Bruce Canfield]

Thanks for the help, everyone. I guess it's safe to assume that the early buttplates did not have the widows peak. This stock may be from a period when they did use metal plate with peak.

The configurartion of the metal buttplate you describe sounds like the type used by U.S. ordnance facilities for rebuilding Model 97s between the World Wars which had broken buttplates. With the exception of some brass buttplates on "civilian trenchguns" built in the late 20s and early 30s, Winchester M97s didn't leave New Haven with metal buttplates. They were plastic, actually hard rubber as some correctly pointed out.

[TSMGguy]

I believe that the hard materiel used for these butt plates was called gutta percha. It was an early form of plastic superceded by polythene in the 1930s, along with bakelite shortly thereafter. It's often called "hard rubber", and can be found today in reproduction classic automotive battery cases, as well as the butt plates discussed.

 

http://atlantic-cable.com/Article/GuttaPercha/index.htm