Oddest Merrill trigger plate config

[ewmail15]

I just spent an hour scouring the web for Merrill carbine pics again. Came upon this one.

http://www.relicman.com/weapons/Weapon2323.html

Scroll to the bottom Merrill covered, and you'll see a four-screw config'd trigger plate. In my short month of owning and investigating Merrills, I've never seen this config.

6571
My Merrill 2nd model(?) has a steel rod going from top to bottom of the stock, about an inch in front of the rear tang. Wondering if anyone has ever seen this type of strengthening.

6572

[ewmail15]

Ed Knisely replied that he's searching for this same four screw, early model Merrill trigger plate for one of his restorations. Hoping someone has this plate. I need a rear sight and band. Sad that in two months scouring the web and many connections made that I've found zero original parts. Eric

[geezmo]

You must be fairly new to the world of antique gun collecting if you think two months is a long time to spend looking for certain parts, especially the parts you are looking for. Even with the marvelous internet some parts just aren't easy to find. Be prepared to look a lot longer. If you should be lucky enough to find them they will be "Uber priced" as you said about the Burnside parts that you are looking for, in another post on this BB. I would just buy the repro sight and band from S&S and try to age them to match the condition of your carbine. Good luck in your search.

[ewmail15]

I've connected with John Gunderson, Ed Knisely, Dennis Brooks, John at Gunderson Memorabilia, Phil at S&S, Chris at Regimental Quartermaster, David at Lodgewood, Dixie Gun Works, McPheeters Antique Militaria, Horse Soldier, Track of the Wolf, Numrich, and plenty other CW era memorabilia forum links from sites like Ian Workman's at American Civil War Relics. Posted inquiries and searched on Craigslist in every north/south states' major cities, civilwartalk, gunboards, gunsamerica, gunsinternational, gunbroker, longarms, mlagb (UK forum), and a few forums in France.