Howdy
Many, many years ago I bought a Winchester Model 1894 chambered for 30-30 at a yard sale. I believe I only paid about $40 for it. The rifle had been cut down, the barrel had been shortened to 20 inches and the magazine had been shortened to about half its original length. And it had a crescent shaped butt plate. Because it had been shortened, the rifle was very light. Because of the crescent shaped butt plate I could only stand to shoot it for about three shots, it hurt so much to shoot it. Not to mention the terrific flinch I developed after the first shot.
Please study the following photos:
Uberti replica of the iron frame 1860 Henry, chambered for 44-40.
View attachment 1024082
Marlin Model 1889, chambered for 38-40.
View attachment 1024083
Marlin Model 1894, chambered for 44-40.
View attachment 1024084
Winchester Model 1873, chambered for 38-40.
View attachment 1024085
Winchester Model 1892, chambered for 44-40.
View attachment 1024086
Winchester Model 1892, chambered for 32-20.
View attachment 1024087
Winchester Model 1886, chambered for 45-70.
View attachment 1024088
Winchester Model 1894, chambered for 30-30.
View attachment 1024089
What do all these rifles have in common? A crescent shaped butt plate. This was the standard configuration for Winchester and Marlin rifles for many years. I'm not talking about carbines, that is a topic for a separate discussion. The major rifle companies were making rifles with crescent shaped butt stocks for over 100 years, long before rubber slide on butt pads or rubber replacement butt pads existed.
So why did they keep manufacturing rifles like this if they hurt so much to shoot? It had nothing to do with heavy military clothing which would cushion recoil.
The answer is, a crescent shaped butt plate was meant to be mounted to the shoulder differently than many rifle shooters do it today. If you are mounting the crescent butt plate with the points against the meaty part of your shoulder, yes it is going to hurt when the rifle recoils. A crescent shaped butt plate was meant to be mounted a bit further outboard, with the points encircling the shoulder joint. The points should never touch you, the curved crescent part of the butt plate is all that should touch your body. Crescent shaped butt plates like this were meant to prevent the rifle from slipping up or down in recoil as you worked the lever for repeated shots. The points encircling the shoulder joint prevent the butt from slipping up or down. As a matter of fact, you can see similar butt plates on flintlock Kentucky rifles from before the cartridge era.
I found many years ago that in order to shoot a rifle with a crescent shaped butt well I had to alter my stance. I never stand directly facing the target, I stand at an angle, with the rifle slung across my chest. I also raise my elbow to bring the rifle butt up to my cheek and the sights to my eyes. I do not hunch over to bring my face down to the stock as so many modern shooters do.
Really, a lever gun chambered for 45 Colt does not kick very much. The 7 pounds or so of the rifle's weight will keep the recoil very mild. Think about the recoil from that 45-70 Model 1886 Winchester. Or the 30-30 1894 Winchester. The recoil from the 1894 is quite stout, but mounting the rifle as I have described, I could shoot it all afternoon because the points of the crescent shaped butt plate never touch me.
I only wish I still had that old cut down Model 1894. It was stolen many years ago, before I learned the proper way to mount a rifle with a crescent shaped butt plate.
