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Forums10
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Jun 14th, 2026
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 293
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 293 |
Gentlemen,
Why is it that many high grade guns have checkered butts without pads? Other than the obvious which is to cut the stock down to a preferred length, what are some other preferences for a checkered butt?
Regards,
Max
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,883 Likes: 21
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,883 Likes: 21 |
It's a lower parts count for the manufacturer and can be done quickly and cheaply while still providing some level of "elegance" and functional value.
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,250 Likes: 1
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,250 Likes: 1 |
Much better than a thick red pad, as they come to and off the shoulder in the right manner. A Gun's gun - which dicounts Chuck's "quickly and cheaply" stuff!
Last edited by Lowell Glenthorne; 04/09/07 04:20 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 293
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 293 |
Chuck
It seems to me that it will cost a little more to checker a butt and then maybe add heal & toe plates.
Regards,
Max
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 377
Member
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Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 377 |
As one who does a fair amount of checkering and fitting of guns let me assure one and all the labor in checkering a butt far, far exceeds the 1-2 hours it takes to correctly fit a pad/plate. IMO it is another way to show hand labor, as most are on high end guns and usually are 22Lpi or finer. Best, DR. BILL
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,155
Member
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Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,155 |
A checkered butt finishes off the gunstock with elegance; and for bird guns using moderate loads appropriate to their weight, recoil pads aren't all that necessary. If one insists on adding a recoil pad or needs to change the LOP, the checkered butt can be sawn off without having to discard bits of rubber or plastic.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,883 Likes: 21
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 13,883 Likes: 21 |
Bill, Lowell,
I was thinking as compared to a toe/heel clipped butt or a skeleton butt. If a guy was ordering a $100k gun and didn't order the toe and heel clip or the skeleton plate options, he's going cheap, IMO. But, on a cheap ($3 to $5k) Spanish gun, they look like they don't spend more than about 10 minutes with the powered dental tool. But, as butts go, they'll always be buts or butts.
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 203
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 203 |
As one who does a fair amount of checkering and fitting of guns let me assure one and all the labor in checkering a butt far, far exceeds the 1-2 hours it takes to correctly fit a pad/plate. IMO it is another way to show hand labor, as most are on high end guns and usually are 22Lpi or finer. Best, DR. BILL I agree, it is one more mark of elegance and labor intensive handwork,and goes well with handmade and costly. Add a hand engraved heel and toe to the checkered buttplate for even more elegance. Not to say that the added attention getting from your invited dinner guests, spending the weekend with you to shoot some driven birds, is not also worth it's weight in gold. Come to think of it, why not have the heel and toe plates done in precious metal with your initials on them for a few extra quid?
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 482
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 482 |
As one who is wrestling with this at the moment, would weight distribution not be a likely answer??
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,863 Likes: 124
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,863 Likes: 124 |
Agree that the checkered butt is an elegant feature. A buttplate is ok, a recoil pad is downright ugly no matter who makes it. The skeleton buttplate with the checkering is very nice also.
As Dr. Bill said it takes a lot longer than 1-2 hrs, and is all hand labor.
David
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