bobw wrote on Sep 16^th, 2026 at 12:09pm:


I've owned and shot some single shot rifles with pretty good cast off and I really like them. Also a Gove shotgun with almost 1" of cast off that really shouldered well!

I have had the opportunity to have one of the two rifles, I based this build on, in my shop the last few days. It is a spectacular rifle and a blessing having it to study.

There are differences between the two originals that appear to be subtle in the pictures I have.  One thing I have found, having one in hand, is I have a bit too much belly on my rifle.

While I knew I need to take some of this belly out, I ended up taking lots more than I had originally planned.

This first picture is the original Singer Rifle.   
Sorry, I had to really reduce the size, and quality, to get it in this post.

This second was the "before removing some of the belly" picture.

The third picture shows the flat developed while removing wood  from the belly.

This fourth picture shows the new belly mostly completed.  It also really flows better back into the buttplate now.

The last picture show where I think I still need to take a little off.  I noticed it while looking at these pictures.  The area between the arrows is what I am looking at.  In front of the rear arrow there appears to be a small hump that needs to be blended better into the area going forward into the tang.
Bob

That original Singer is sexy! What a beautiful rifle! Your version is also going to be beautiful also! Great start so far!

terry buffum wrote on Oct 16^th, 2026 at 7:15pm:


Terry, you make a good point and I am considering this.  But, I would still make a new pattern, and will need to learn the proper sizing it would need to be, in-order to allow for shrink.

The two buttplates are slightly different, although, not that it really matters.  The first really obvious difference is the Singer High-Wall I am working on, the original has a steel plate, where the original Singer Walker has a brass plate.  

Not as obvious on the Singer Walker is a slightly depressed area just behind the toe on the lower tang.  I’m thinking this is just a correction that Singer made to a straight curved plate in-order to get the flow from the wood into the buttplate corrected.

The other differences are the Walker has a widows peak on the heel or top of the buttplate, where the Singer High-Wall is just rounded over.  Also, over all, the Walker buttplate is slightly smaller.

Here are a couple pictures of the Singer Walker plate showing the features.

Is there anyone one here that can train me on material and sizing of a pattern?  
When Rodney Story was here a couple months ago, he told me he can help get them poured.
Bob