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February 8, 2022
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What was the progression through the years of shotgun butts types on 1895/95 Winchesters? I have seen listings with hard rubber plates, with, and without spurs plus steel M70 checkered types with spurs. I believe I saw a listing with a smooth steel plate at one time. Two days ago I reviewed current online offerings and it seems the hard rubber plates are predominate in the earlier guns with the checkered steel taking over later. Are there any hard date cut-offs between the types and do these changes track with factory 1886 shotgun butt guns?
April 15, 2005
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The smooth steel shotgun butt plates were the common variety on the early production Model 1895s but were intermixed with the black hard rubber with the widows peak. After 1903, the checkered steel replaced the smooth steel butt plates, with hard rubber plates still optional. In the 1913/14 timeframe, the hard rubber butt plates were made without the widows peak. Hard rubber butt plates were available from day one of production and were available to the end of production.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
February 8, 2022
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Thanks, Bert! That explains all the variance with the steel versus hard rubber even if there were hard stops between the steel types. One follow up question: were the hard rubber plates extra cost or on request? What was the standard butt plate, if there there was on, through the years?
April 15, 2005
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The Hard rubber plates were an extra cost special order item on the early production guns, but they became the standard plate several years after the turn of the century.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
