Getting a Closer Look at the Classic Musket Butt Plate
If you've ever spent time looking at a vintage firearm, you might not immediately focus on the musket butt plate, but it's actually one of the most telling parts of the whole gun. It's that slab of metal—usually brass or iron—screwed onto the back end of the wooden stock. While it might look like a simple finishing touch, it's a piece of hardware that has a huge job to do, both in terms of protecting the weapon and helping the person firing it. ...