I am building a 257 Roberts and have a biesen trapdoor buttplate to use.

What are some thoughts on metal buttplates? Does the recoil and slickness of metal too much of a trade off for good looks?

Thanks
ddj

Dear DDJ:

I used a Neidner steel butt plate on a 7x57 AI in a Brno Mauser. It was checkered from the factory, so it did not slide around.

I mounted it onto a Wenig stock, where I finished the fitting myself. Therefore, the recoil seemed almost non-existent, since the rifle fit so well.

I have not shot a steel butt plate rifle in a caliber above 30-06 (pre-64 Model 70), but I imagine having one on your 257 Roberts stock would not be too uncomfortable.

Sincerely,

Chris Bemis

quote:

Does the recoil and slickness of metal too much of a trade off for good looks?

When I rest a gun on a floor and lean it against something, I expect it to stay where I put it.....and hard plastics and steel butt plates don't do this.....rubber pads do!

Some beautiful stocks have steel plates inletted into them and many antiquish old winchester rifles are the same.....

While I can say that the owner of such an artistic rifle should know better than to stand such a rifle where the butt can slide away ought to know better it just happens that folks may ask...."may I see that rifle?".....and not knowing set it down errantly.

This single factor is responsible for the fact that no guns in my house have a steel butt plate or even hard plastic.... A 1/4" rubber Pachmayer butt pad is found on a lot of rifles here for this reason alone.

Everyone to their own.....in answer to your question: "Does the recoil and slickness of metal too much of a trade off for good looks?"

yes it is.....IMO most definitely.

I have several, ranging from straight military to hand engraved custom.

I like them, but not for hard kickers obviously.

For a .257 Roberts I would think a steel buttplate would be fine.

I have fired 7x57, 8x57, and 9.3x62 with hard buttplates. I found the recoil not bad. The worst of those three is actually a light 7x57 carbine with 16.5" barrel - I think it is the muzzle blast that gets you.

I would look at the Niedner buttplate. They look decent and the checkering would avoid the sliding around.

TG

DDJ,
I have Biesen checkered steel butplates on 2 different rifles.
1) 6.5-06
2) 35 Whelen
I am not real big on recoil, but I can shoot either of these rifles in just a light shirt with no problems for a dozen or so rounds.
I like them.
Thanks, Doug

I just got a 2nd hand sporterized 1917 Enfield with a nice metal buttplate. I'm going to convert to a 300 H&H - and I guarantee it will still feel better than my 300 UMAG Sendero with a recoil pad and muzzlebrake!!!

Biesen on a 416Rigby

Forrest that's pretty wimpy - I would have added spikes. To keep if from slipping off the shoulder in the fury of action.

Todd, it wasn't me, it came that way. When & if I reshape the stock, I'll add a pad too. Actually it isn't that bad.

I would love to shoot it - I don't imagine it would be that bad, as long as you didn't hold it loosely. Looks to be longish on the pull, which would also help - or maybe just looks that way because it doesn't have a recoil pad.

I have a 257 Roberts with a Neidner buttplate, and it is not at all uncomfortable to shoot.

Clemson

My custom Mauser based 7x57 was specified with a Neidner checkered metal buttplate. Clayton Nelson slightly reshaped it (took some of the curve out) and it feels fine. I have no worry about it slipping when standing and when I let someone look at one of my guns I watch that person carefully and have NEVER had an accident. To me they just look better than a rubber pad. The skeleton ones are even better looking especially when the center wood is nicely checkered.