How to make a Hinged FloorplateBy Don Markey

This is how I modify Mauser trigger guards to hinge open the same technique can be used on enfields and springfields.

Start by forming a hinge piece out of 5/16" keystock.

I like this design a little better; it allows you to dress down the hinge to fit flush with the triggerguard as you will see later.

Next prep the floorplate by removing the lips that lock it into the guard.

Here are the pieces layed out ready to solder. I use Brownells force 44 solder and the flux they recommend.

Here it is soldered and the trigger guard ready to be modified. This guard is also getting a shotgun style bow as you will see later on. So the original bow was removed and dressed down.

A hole was also drilled and tapped for the front of the bow.

The next step is to lay out the guard to cut the slot for the hinge. Apply dykem to the area and place the floorplate, then scribe the outline. I rough this cut out in the mill and then true it by

hand with files. You could do it all by hand just as well; it would just take a little longer.

Here is the guard all cut and the floorplate dropped in. It is now ready to be dressed down and clearances cut for it to swing freely.

Now just a little file work to dress it down. Here is after about 10 minutes. Notice the beer in the background, this is time consuming work so relax and take your time.

Now it is done.

And it opens.

Now they are both ready for latches, if you noticed I’m doing 2 guards at the same time so the pics are kind of mixed up. There are also a few extra hinges and some welded up floorplates for

the next project, but I’ll get to that later.

To save time I rough shaped the latches in the mill.

A little file work is all that is required to make the pivot. Now size this to your floorplate they are all a little different and you want a tight fit.

Now a little more file work, well a lot more, to shape the sides and top. I leave it long until near the end of shaping to give it a handle to put in the vice.

The tricky part is getting the bottom contour to match the floorplate. Just take your time and test fit often.

Here’s the top view.

How to make a Hinged FloorplateBy Don Markey

Continued........

Now clamp the lever to the floorplate and file the part that extends through into a square shape to act as a key.

Now take a piece of flat stock and drill a hole. Next file it into a square to match the lever.

Next drill and tap a 6-48 hole in the lever to clamp the 2 pieces together.

The last step is the tedious task of filing the latch plate until it fits into the guard with the lever turned about 45 deg. Do this with it turned both ways. Then file a little step in the middle to lock

into the guards recess. Sorry I didn’t get a lot of pics, but here it is completed.

Here it is installed on the guard locked closed.

And now in the open position.

Now let’s do one more guard. This one with a 1909 style release lever. Start by milling to slot for the latch.

Done with the mill work, now onto filing the edges square.

Here it is side by side with an actual 1909 guard for comparison.

Next make the latch. I use a jigsaw with a metal blade to rough out the shape and they refine it with a file. This pic is of one done and one roughed out. I start with the profile for an actual 1909

guard and modify it to fit the standard guard.

More file work, just file and test, file and test until it fits. Once it fits drill through both the guard and latch at the same time to make sure the alignment is perfect. I use 1/8” pins for the floorplate hinge and 1909 guard’s latches, but standard guards are a little thin. So I went with 3/32” pins on this one. After it is drilled install the pin or temporary pin in my case, since I was waiting for the pins to come in from enco. My pin was a welding rod, hey whatever works. Next file the inside

and the outside flush except the part that holds the floorplate shut.

Fine tune the latch until it allows the floorplate to open easily.

Now some polishing and it will be done. All in all they are fun projects