What gun did this butt plate go to?
 

I know this is a dumb question, but I am just too curious. I was out metal detecting and came across this butt plate for a gun. I would think it isn't that old or it would be in far worse shape. I found it in a rock pile at an old mining site here in Missouri.

To me it almost looks like it belongs to a winchester but all the ones I seen don't have the extra metal at the back bottom of the plate as shown in the first photo. Usually they come to a smooth point. Anyways another one of those countless things I find digging in the ground that I may never truely know what it went to.

http://www.kmods.net/host202/usr/20/i_IMG_0267.JPG

http://www.kmods.net/host202/usr/20/i_IMG_0270.JPG

http://www.kmods.net/host202/usr/20/i_IMG_0268.JPG

http://www.kmods.net/host202/usr/20/i_IMG_0278.JPG

Could be for any of a thousand different guns. I have seen Marlin, Remington, Winchester, Browning, and others with that style of butt plate.

That is why I figured it would be a dumb question, just too many.
Thanks though.

Not a dumb question, just one that requires a fair amount of research. That extra metal does make it more unique and I think it takes most models of Winchesters and Marlins out of the equation. I'm intrigued and I will go through some of my books at home to see if I hit on anything.

Old style at any rate...
 

It's what's called a 'rifle style' butt plate, the idea being rifles were carefully placed into the shoulder and stayed in place while shotguns where hurriedly throw and fired. The shotgun butt plate gradually took over most all long guns. This was a common butt plate in the 19th Century and probably early 20th.

Is it steel or brass? I cannot tell from the photo. Steel makes it more likely from a actual old gun; most of the kits use brass.

It could easily be from a replica rifle, such as a Dixie Gun Works muzzle loading kit.

However, it's from a old rifle or a reproduction of an old rifle. You might try looking at parts lists from reproduction guns and see if any of the butt plates match up.

Sorry I didn't respond sooner, I was on vacation this week out of town.

To answer the question, it is steel and not brass.

I found this in the first settlement in Missouri (Old Mines, 18th century). Found it in a pile of rocks (not like body size if anyone was wondering, just a small pile) where they surfaced mined for tiff. I'm pretty sure it isn't like 18th century old, but more like late 19th to early 20th century.

Thanks for the time and info guys, I appreciated it.

Butt plate ID
 

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I have a similar problem with identifying a plate that I put up on "Curios & Relics", that I think is an older style Springfield 1903. I sure would appreciate some help.

Thanks cpttango