Skeleton butt-plate removal

[Scot Cardillo]

Any tips for a fella’ who must remove a Skeleton Butt-Plate from a Parker Reproduction? :banghead:

Not worried about the screws. My concern, is taking a pc of the checkering with it by chipping a pc out. I would like it a lot if that didn’t happen. Maybe tape the checkering about the perimeter of the plate, tap the plate to separate it and then carefully ease it off straight as possible, evenly?

All advice appreciated!

[Dean Romig]

The checkered panel, if stuck to the butt plate, will probably come off with the butt plate.





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[Scot Cardillo]

I knew the checkered portion was an insert / separate from the actual stock but, I would have guessed it was at least glued to the rear of the stock. Thanks for the tip, Dean. That certainly puts a different perspective on removing the plate. Unfortunately, even if the wooden checkered insert is likely to separate, intact with the plate - I still 'may' have to separate the two so I can perform a repair. :cuss:

*Were original Parkers with SBP's constructed that way as well? (an insert?)

[Brian Dudley]

No. Meriden (and remington) inletted them fully into the butt.

The insert may stay glued to the butt, but in my experience, it will likely come off attached to the plate. No big deal either way.

[Scot Cardillo]

A quick swipe with a small, sharp chisel across the top of the wooden insert. (to cut through the glue overflow) Followed by a delrin, chisel-shaped spatula I whipped up in about 8 seconds helped me to separate the plate from the butt, insert intact, nicely.

Thanks guys, I would have gone after differently without your help.

[Ted Hicks]

There are lots of details about Parker construction that I don't know about and this is another one. Interesting that for repros, the checkered section is an insert separate from the stock. So they would fit the SKB to the stock so the outside edges are flush, including the spur, and then fill the center space by fitting a checkered insert into it? While I am not a stockmaker, it seems that fitting this insert would be more trouble than just inletting the SKB to the stock? I guess you have the advantage of not having to checker end-grain?

[Brian Dudley]

The stocks were hollowed out under the glued on insert.

Believe me, it is way harder to fit an SSBP the way Meriden did it than the way Winchester Japan did it.

[Scot Cardillo]

The stocks were hollowed out under the glued on insert.

Believe me, it is way harder to fit an SSBP the way Meriden did it than the way Winchester Japan did it.

Exactly what I discovered, once the plate was removed- my summation was that this was to achieve balance, yes?

[chris dawe]

The stocks were hollowed out under the glued on insert.

Believe me, it is way harder to fit an SSBP the way Meriden did it than the way Winchester Japan did it.

Yeah,you drove a straight nail there...a separate insert is the easy way out for sure, but not the traditionally done ...that being said it do have the benefits of nicely hiding a drilled stock ( for balance )
or even getting a last little bit of lop out of a short blank

[Ted Hicks]

The stocks were hollowed out under the glued on insert.

Believe me, it is way harder to fit an SSBP the way Meriden did it than the way Winchester Japan did it.

I believe you, and thanks for the knowledge.

[Brian Dudley]

And... checkering end grain is not all that bad. Better than inletting it.

[Scot Cardillo]

How did Parker (Meriden) handle balance? Remington?

I'll guess a higher and, more discriminating selection from a cache of materials set aside for each frame size? Barrel wall thickness, maybe?

Was there a particular method commonly used to fine tune balance, once assembly was completed and, prior to final finish?

[Brian Dudley]

They would drill out a round hoke and plug the end after and finish/checker over it.

I would speculate that the repro stocks were not bored out for balance, but more just for lightening.

[Scot Cardillo]

Yeah, I've seen that on other makers guns.

"lightening" is probably more accurate. The question begs, do you ever happen upon anything installed in the machined-out pockets of Repro's (that would provide an indication of how much attention was actually given to balance, I would think)

[Garry L Gordon]

Wow! All of this is worth the price of admission...er...membership. Live and learn. I just hope I have enough years left to get it all in.

I sure appreciate the expertise on this forum.