Rifle Butt Cover

[panch0]

I just bought a Marlin 336 / 30-30. I was on a Marlin owners forum and there is a gentleman there that makes some outstanding looking butt covers. I am a knifemaker and have made a couple dozen knife sheaths. The last 4 or five I kind of knew what I was doing. I would really like to try and make a butt cover for my new rifle. Any help or direction would be appreciated. Thanks.

-frank

[Hilly]

I just bought a Marlin 336 / 30-30. I was on a Marlin owners forum and there is a gentleman there that makes some outstanding looking butt covers. I am a knifemaker and have made a couple dozen knife sheaths. The last 4 or five I kind of knew what I was doing. I would really like to try and make a butt cover for my new rifle. Any help or direction would be appreciated. Thanks.

-frank

I made a fancy carved and tooled one for my husbands DPMS "target" rifle. I started out by making a paper pattern that fit the stock. Make sure the leather won't interfere with any of the working parts of the gun, and when you cut it out, make it a tad bigger so that it allows for the thickness of the leather, or it won't be a perfect fit (Don't ask me how I found this out as a newbie to leather.)

[Rayban]

Panch....

I doubt you'll find an actual pattern...how bout you wrap paper around yours and cut out your own pattern.

You can do a simple lacing job instead of hand stitching.

Try searching "buttcovers" here.

Edited October 26, 2009 by Rayban

[katsass]

I just bought a Marlin 336 / 30-30. I was on a Marlin owners forum and there is a gentleman there that makes some outstanding looking butt covers. I am a knifemaker and have made a couple dozen knife sheaths. The last 4 or five I kind of knew what I was doing. I would really like to try and make a butt cover for my new rifle. Any help or direction would be appreciated. Thanks.

-frank

Pancho, years ago I did a butt cover for an 870 Remington police shotgun with loops for extra shotshells. I used a paper pattern I made myself that went from the base of the recoil pad up to the rear of the pistol grip. I'll dig thru my stuff and try to find a pic for you. It's on one of the disks somewhere. I laced it on along the bottom of the stock so that it could be removed if necessary. Holes were punched along the two ajoining edges and metal eyelets were inserted so that the leather wouldn's tear. Also so that it could be tightened if the leather streched. One thing to remember is that under recoil the cover may try to slip forward because of the taper in the stock. I cured this on the shotgun by cutting a slot in the rubber just above the base of the recoil pad and running a wide strap thru the pad and used a press-the-dot snap to keep it tight.

Aside from that, in the early '70s I did five rifle stocks for one customer that were completely covered in leather. I doubt that I'll ever do another one.....they were the most difficult pieces of work I ever did. In them the leather was bonded to the wood and was definately NOT removable. These three are the only pics I have of one of them prior to finishing. Excused the quality....they are digital pics taken of 35mm prints taken back then. Hope this gives you some ideas or helps a little. Mike

Edited October 26, 2009 by katsass

[panch0]

Pancho, years ago I did a butt cover for an 870 Remington police shotgun with loops for extra shotshells. I used a paper pattern I made myself that went from the base of the recoil pad up to the rear of the pistol grip. I'll dig thru my stuff and try to find a pic for you. It's on one of the disks somewhere. I laced it on along the bottom of the stock so that it could be removed if necessary. Holes were punched along the two ajoining edges and metal eyelets were inserted so that the leather wouldn's tear. Also so that it could be tightened if the leather streched. One thing to remember is that under recoil the cover may try to slip forward because of the taper in the stock. I cured this on the shotgun by cutting a slot in the rubber just above the base of the recoil pad and running a wide strap thru the pad and used a press-the-dot snap to keep it tight.

Aside from that, in the early '70s I did five rifle stocks for one customer that were completely covered in leather. I doubt that I'll ever do another one.....they were the most difficult pieces of work I ever did. In them the leather was bonded to the wood and was definately NOT removable. These three are the only pics I have of one of them prior to finishing. Excused the quality....they are digital pics taken of 35mm prints taken back then. Hope this gives you some ideas or helps a little. Mike

Thanks for the response guys. I can understand what you guys advise. I am just not sure what thickness of leather and how the end piece and wrap around piece get stitched together. I will keep on researching though. Thanks for the pics!

-frank

[Rayban]

That is indeed the Katsass!!

Frank, get to Tandy and get Al Stohlman's " How to make Cases" It's a three book set and the first one will show you all you need to know to make you a buttcover.

I insist it'a must have book for anyone who wants to learn leather work.

Thanks for the response guys. I can understand what you guys advise. I am just not sure what thickness of leather and how the end piece and wrap around piece get stitched together. I will keep on researching though. Thanks for the pics!

-frank

[panch0]

Rayban my friend that is exactly what I was hoping to find. Thanks again!

[sdkid]

Not sure of the date, but Leatherworker & Saddlers Journal had a pattern a few years ago. I will try and find it for you.

[kytim]

Hey poncho I happen to have an issue of leathercrafters and saddlers journal that has just such a thing in it. Let me know if you wnat I can get the issue # and you can but the back issue.

[GrampaJoel]

Is this what you are trying to make? If so I can help.

[particle]

Is this what you are trying to make? If so I can help.

GrampaJoel - even if that's not quite what the OP was looking for, I'd certainly be interested in a little guidance. I've been tossing around the idea of jazzing up my Marlin 1894 Carbine .357 Mag. with a butt stock cartridge holder, and a wrap around the lever. I think what you've shown could easily be lengthened a bit and some cartridge loops added on...?

[GrampaJoel]

Levergun Leather

The link above is where I got my idea from. There are a lot of butt cuff covers here, and he is a very nice man, and shared his method with me.

1.Lay your rifle flat on some paper and draw around the stock.( to determine the cover wrap length you want)

2. do the same but put just the rifle butt on some paper and draw around it. ( rifle muzzle pointing up)

3. take the first pattern and double it add about 1' and cut out your pattern for the stock wrap cover part.

4. take the butt end paper pattern and cut it out. now use it to make a mold made of wood (from 2X4 works well) to form the butt cuff

5. cut out enough leather and wet mold it over your wood mold. should extend over the edge about 3"

6. take the molded leather off the mold and trim to size. it works well to trim while on the mold also.

7 decorate, and add bullet loops if wanted, finish all edges, and sew everything together. I used 1/4' spacing on my sewing.

I also added eyelets to mine to protect the leather the string goes through.

That's it in a nut shell. It is of course a bit more work than that, but not much. I used 5 strand linen thread and waxed it to sew everything together, but I suppose and good heavy poly (270 or so)thread would work

Anymore question just ask.

I'll add some closeup tomorrow to get a better look at it. But the link above should tell you what you need to know.

Edited November 7, 2009 by GrampaJoel