Whats behind your buttplate?

[cordite]

Hi, new member here from NW Montana. I have one model 8 that I have owned for several years (1909 vintage). It needs a firing pin and I finally got around to ordering one. Anyhow, I read that someone found an extra firing pin behind their buttplate and thought what the heck, lets look under there.
What I found was very interesting, a small candle, quite a few old blue headed matches and a cotton sack of salt. The matches were pretty far gone and the sack had ruptured and the salt was loose. Interesting to think about the mindset back then. You and I might well put matches and a small candle there, good idea then and now. But a small bag of salt! This rifle wasn't used for afternoon hunts on the back 40 I'm thinking.

I'm interested in what you think about that and have you ever found anything interesting behind an old rifle's buttplate?

[imfuncity]

Si. Very interesting, I like the thinking of the previous owner. Several have found interesting and valuable things - I found old stale air. Perhaps we should start a tread/topic regarding the leavings.

BTW - Welcome aboard.

[Superimposed]

Kind of like what's in your wallet, today's world. Stale air, a good reply. I have a model 8 and an 81 havn't looked. Also located in NW MT.

[remcrazy]

I purchased a model 8 sometime ago and never checked the butt stock. Rifle came out of Minnesota. One day, I decided to take off the butt plate just out of curiosity. Mmmnn, something in both holes! One hole contained State of Minnesota deer tags dated 1930, Cass County. Had the original owners name, resident of , DOB, height, weight, color hair/eyes etc! The other hole contained the actual unused metal deer tag with license number etc, about 8" long x 3/8" wide. Pretty neat find I thought and coincided with the rifles date and history. Remcrazy

[Superimposed]

Kind of like Christmas come early. I checked my model 8, 1910 crescent butt plate and found nothing. Not surprised as the stock has been refurnished. My 1939 Model 81 had no hole drilled in stock. My museum model 8, 1906 sn 118, had two holes bored in stock and within I found matches in a plastic metal capped container and a bottle of medicine ( I presumed aspirin). These items were wrapped in paper bag paper to facilitate withdrawal and soundproof. The 1906 has two holes drilled side by side within such close proximity that the sidewalls are paper thin. I placed my business card in the 1910 Model 8 as a time capsule for the next owner. Who can advise of the holes that were drilled in butt stocks. They number from 0 to one or two. The schematics in Henwoods do not reveal whether the butt stock is drilled or not. Is the Model 81 drilled from the receiver end of the stock? I have never taken a stock off the receiver. Would like your comments.

[Superimposed]

PS- I was curious if the stick match would strike. It lit on the first try.

[gramps35]

I found a note from my Grandpa. It had his name and address on it from when he lived in N. Idaho (Hope area to be exact). It's discolored from all the linseed oil, but still legible. I put it back in along with a note with my name and DL # and when I TruOiled the stock I wiped the oil far enough to seal the buttplate to the stock so it's water tight.

Same thing in the Model 11 of his that I have. That also contained the shotgun's proof of purchase with his name and the gun's serial number. I did the same TruOil treatment to that.
I never thought about putting matches and such in there.

[imfuncity]

Thanks for sharing that Gramps. Hope one of your grandkids fines your note one day.

[canuck]

I haven't found anything behind an 8/81 buttplate, but this was in the hollow of the stock of one of the 1907 Winchesters I have

[gramps35]

Nice find canuck. 1405 Broadway, Spokane, WA puts that gun in the Felony Flats neighborhood. It used to pick up garbage in that neighborhood.

[DWalt]

If anyone has a Swiss K31 carbine, behind the buttplate will usually be found a piece of paper with the name of the person to whom it was issued and his town. Sometimes there is additional information such as his unit and address. I had a German K98 rifle once that had the soldier's name stamped into the wood under the buttplate (it could have been stamped there by a later owner - but it was definitely a German name). You never know what could be there.

[ljspoon]

After viewing this post, it prompted me to become a member of this board. I immediately looked under the buttplate of my 1911 vintage Model 8 .35 Rem and discovered a small quantity of matches in one hole and three 200 grain Rem-Umc rounds.

[81police]

After viewing this post, it prompted me to become a member of this board. I immediately looked under the buttplate of my 1911 vintage Model 8 .35 Rem and discovered a small quantity of matches in one hole and three 200 grain Rem-Umc rounds.

Welcome to the forum ljspoon. Great buttstock find!

[sighthound]

Heard a rattle and found a bolt carrier latch (part #20) in there, spare or replaced part? Jerry

[Sarge756]

While back, Remcrazy and I were emailing each other re;some of his items for sale and this subject came up.He told me about his find.I have found several hunting licenses and owners names over the years but best was a folded $100 bill .This was under buttplate of a Browning "Sweetsixteen" I did the wood on for an elderly gentleman.He was a retired Greyhound driver and had come up during the depression.When I mentioned it he told me that he had forgotten about it and had a habit of hiding money.Few years later he passed and I told his widow and son about it and that they should check real careful if they ever sold the house. They did, found $7000 behind an old dresser.I`ve always wondered how much they missed.

[imfuncity]

I haven't found anything yet but I keep looking. Great story Sarge.

[canuck]

While back, Remcrazy and I were emailing each other re;some of his items for sale and this subject came up.He told me about his find.I have found several hunting licenses and owners names over the years but best was a folded $100 bill .This was under buttplate of a Browning "Sweetsixteen" I did the wood on for an elderly gentleman.He was a retired Greyhound driver and had come up during the depression.When I mentioned it he told me that he had forgotten about it and had a habit of hiding money.Few years later he passed and I told his widow and son about it and that they should check real careful if they ever sold the house. They did, found $7000 behind an old dresser.I`ve always wondered how much they missed.

A bit off the topic but,
I work with a fellow whose granddad was a bit.... eccentric? He had no faith in gov't/banks/etc.
He didn't keep any money in banks - it was all in cash! He always had a wad of bills in his front pocket and whatever he couldn't carry was hidden around the farm.
After he passed several years ago, the family started looking for his hidden loot - they have found money hidden in coffee cans in the barn rafters, in the stuffing of the seat of his pickup, under the stock waterer, etc.
They are still looking!!