When did Winchester start putting plastic buttplates on guns. I've been eyeballing a Winchester 1885 made in 1915 and it has what appears to be an old worn, blackish, plastic buttplate. I'm guessing that this is not original hardware for the gun in question. Any thoughts

Bill

When did Winchester start putting plastic buttplates on guns. I've been eyeballing a Winchester 1885 made in 1915 and it has what appears to be an old worn, blackish, plastic buttplate. I'm guessing that this is not original hardware for the gun in question. Any thoughts

Bill

Might be original...were straight (shotgun) styled butts and curved (rifle) style butts, and the stright style may have come with a plastic (hard rubber) butt plate in 1915.

Of the two styles, the curved seems to increase felt recoil a bit...but the curved style makes lever operation from the shoulder a bit easier.