I thought it was pretty cool. When taking off the stock of the old savage I found this Michigan hunting license from 1955. read the type above the signature of Mr. Pike. It sure was a different time

I saw a 1930s Kansas hunting license that was inside the buttstock of a Winchester 97 shotgun.

So if he had shot someone while hunting more then 5 years earlier he would have been able to still buy this hunting license???????? this was in 1955!

Neat find! I never found anything in a buttstock.

I once found a Marbles 250-3000 cartridge extractor wrapped up in an old oil cloth and stuffed into butt stock of a very early M1920 rifle.

That's my best find thus far.

I found the rear sight in the butt stock of one of my 250-3000 that wore a tang sight when I bought it. I also found a rolled up piece of paper in a Remington M31 but I think it had been in there a long time because it was illegible.

The house the guy lived in is still there. It’s not called East Detroit anymore. It’s called Eastpointe. The house was built in 1953 so he must have been the original owner. Mr. Pike would be 126 now.

I found a bill of sale from two private parties done in 1963. Contacted the grandson of the new owner back then and he didn’t want to buy it back. I tried.

I found a name and address of a sawmill owner in this high grade Marlin 1881 made in 1886.I believe he was the original owner.

That is really cool!

What a cool thread!

I have had a couple of "finds".

First was a piece of paper rolled up in the buttstock of an old 99 with the name and address of a fellow from Billings, Montana. I took the opportunity to try and find him when I was on a trip in the Billings area. I found the address ok and talked to the then current resident. He had no knowledge of the person I was trying to find.

Perhaps even more interesting was a find in a saddle scabbard I bought at a gun show. It was black leather and in really tough condition. Over time I spent many hours trying to rehab it. During one of those sessions I noticed there was something at the very bottom inside the scabbard. After some effort, sure enough I recovered a picture (a Polaroid as I recall) of a very attractive lady sitting on the edge of a bed topless and proud! Can't remember what I did with the picture but I could just envision the cowboy that was "sustained" on many lonely nights out on the range by that picture.

That's one of the most beautiful rifles I've seen. Thanks for posting pictures.

I've never found anything in a buttstock of a rifle. Maybe I should buy more rifles. Suppose that could turn into a real expensive easter egg hunt. Loggah, that old Marlin is gorgeous. What caliber is it?

Because of an ancient thread here on the same subject I now always look under the butt plates of every rifle I buy hoping to find a treasure. So far I have had to live vicariously through y'all's finds!

The Marlin is in 32-40,the most rare caliber in the 1881,circassion walnut ,ulrich engraved. I dont think have found anything under any savage buttstocks. I did find a owners name on a piece of paper in a semi- deluxe winchester 1873 rifle also.

We should all provide some enjoyment to future generations by leaving something inside our guns for them to find.

This years hunting license needs to go into the buttstock of my 308 EG

My family owned a gun shop for 40+ years and we found numerous old hunting licenses inside the stocks. We should have kept them all together on the wall somewhere.

In a box of stuff my father in law had was an Illinois hunting license from 1907. Illinois was strictly small game at that time. The licensee was my FIL's uncle. He had arrived from Sweden only a year or two before. Prairie chickens were legal game, pheasants were not.

I acquired an 1897 Winchester 12 ga at a garage sale about 20 years ago,$25,it was rough.I didn't notice at time of purchase that the numbers were gone.I didn't want it around so I took it all apart and sold the parts,the receiver went to a scrap metal guy,I think I got about $60.out of stock,barrel ect.The best part was 2 old Iowa hunting licenses in the stock,1904,1905.Made of canvas,like new,clearly readable.I assume probably original owner.My assumption was probably stolen about that time,really don't know.The funny thing I just now remember,the Iowa license said nothing about non resident but the address was I think Sauk City Wi.I bought it near Kenosha Wi,,a long way from either.As I remember I got more than the gun for the licenses

I bought a model R 99 and in the butt stock was an envelope with the names of the owners from the buyer in 1953 and the years other people owned it plus the original rear sight

One of my Savage pistols came in the original box with two NY State pistol permits from the 1930's.

Still have them.

Swiss K31, 1947, owner tag under butt plate.

I have found name and address in a 22HP, could not track down the old owner .
spare 303 SAV round and a piece of para cord in an old 303 carbine .
a hunting licence cant remember the gun.

norm

I've found several different things inside Savage rifle stocks.

Rolled up paper with a name and address.
Matches wrapped in waxed paper
Candle stubs
A Marble's auxiliary chamber, 32 S&W in 303 Savage
Fishing line and hooks wrapped in a aluminum foil

About half the time there was a piece of rubber inner tube cut to fit between the buttplate and the stock.

When I lived in NH, I bought a 23A that had had 3 holes drilled into the stock and were filled with what amounted to a period survival kit.

I inherited a breakdown 410 from my grandfather that had a 1929 hunting license rolled up in the buttstock. It was issued for Stoddard County, MO. Cost was 1.00, a lot of money back then.

I wonder if the licenses were for their current year or was it their lucky license carried for continued good luck?

These are fun stories! The only thing I ever found in a butt stock was a sweet 358RS that arrived with a cracked wrist and a huge dent in the butt stock..., not a fun story. Happy New Year everyone!

Slightly off topic, but I remember reading somewhere that a person was cutting wood somewhere and found a "possibles bag" inside of a large dead tree.

Well heck, this is fun. Gonna have to pull the butt pads off a bunch of rifles now.

Eric

I have had several finds the most memorable, name and date carved under but plate sav 1899 matching year of manufacture so probably original owner, a canadian bear tag under a pre war model 70 but plate, but by far the most exciting a custom skinning knife made by a very tallented stock maker found in my one of a kind 99 in 260 remington.

I picked up a pre 64 model 70 in 300 Winchester mag. When I took her out of the stock for cleaning under the recoil lug was a folded piece of paper. Was a filled Montana Elk license. Was issued to a Mr Alan Lane from Billings Montana in 1978! I cleaned rifle and put it back where I found it. Rifle shoots very well so I bet it killed a lot of elk in its history. Hopefully someone else will enjoy this treasured rifle when I pass it on. I have pictures of license and rifle if anyone would like to post them, just PM a phone number and I will text them. I also found a homemade bill of sale under a butt plate of a Win Model 52 HB in 22LR made in 1931. Had seller and buyers name and addresses and date 1955. Both from New Jersey. I also cleaned rifle and put it back where I found it. Happy New year!!

For fathers day and our 50th wedding anniversary my wife bought me from Fug the most beautiful 1899 250/3000 and under the buttstock was a Marbles cartridge extractor in its original wrapper.

You are a lucky dog. I came home empty handed. I did see, however, some beautiful. 110 P's and PE's that I never knew existed. Happy New Year, George and Kathy.

I did find a paper with a name on it inside one of mine. I searched the name and found he had passed. I don't remember now but I want to say we got in touch with his family, but I could be wrong, was a long time ago.

Oh my! That is beautiful!

Never had any Luck finding stuff under a butt plate! I bought a Savage 220 16 gage last week, and yes I did look!

Thars GOLD in them there but stocks boys! Really. I purchased a 99 in 250-3000 off of a dealer on GB a few years ago. The tang had a very small crack in it that was not visible in the pics. I decided to keep it and fix it. I got around to repairing it several months after I bought it.
I removed the but plate and found a piece of whittled branch in the screw hole. Wrapped around it was a piece of paper that is a load slip, I think, from the Susquehanna Collieries Company, Shamokin Division. It has a fill in date area of 192_. On the reverse in pencil is the name and address of the fellow who owned the rifle. BTW the rifle is a 1923 gun. As I tipped the gun to get at the screw out came a 1913 gold quarter eagle coin with a face value of $2.50! I never knew such a coin existed. Pretty cool for sure. I would guess the coin is worth around 150-200.00 as it had seen use.I gave it to my son as he will have the rifle too before long.

I did manage to look up the fellow and he had passed sometime in the early 70s. Too bad as I had hopes of returning his coin and hearing some good hunting stories in return. Another of those if only this gun could talk wishes missed.
I was inspired to check some other guns and found an old hunting license from 1965 under another. I always check new ones now!

TOO KOOL!!!

I love it - great find!

Neat story!!

Shamokin is in the heart of my family's home area.

Not a Savage but in my Grandpa,s Win Model 12 buttstock I found his 1926 and 1927 hunting license from Cleo Springs OK dad knew the Game warden that signed them quite a find of family history. 5' 7" 130# .

Cool stories. I have something to do when I get home.

That is so cool!
I've pulled literally hundreds of butt plates off old guns over the years and never found anything. UNTIL!
Wednesday Jan 8th 2020. Yup, last Wednesday I received a 1945/46 Savage 99 250-3000 from a dealer in Missouri. It had a gents name and Rock Springs Wyoming engraved (Amateur)on the bottom of the receiver. I bought the rifle to use as my vintage hunting rifle in Montana and Wisconsin. On Thursday, I popped the butt plate off and found the gents Wyoming Bear and Deer license from 1949! $5.00, and the Deer coupon was gone. Address in Rock Springs, 44 years old, etc.
I talked to my Sister who lives just south of Billings, Mt and told her about it. She said, Rock Springs? Call Bob! Who's Bob? I asked. She says you remember him we went to High School with him in Cary Illinois! He is the Curator of the Rock Springs, Wyoming Historical Museum! See if he can find anything out about the guy. What are the odds!
I called the museum, and he retired in 2017, but they gave me his number. I called him, had a nice chat with him and he promised to look into the fella for me. Small world for sure! In the mean time, another friend of mine is big in Geneology and looked the guy up. Born in 1905, married Jan 8th 1932(exactly 88 years before I received the rifle!), His Fathers name was Ed (same as mine), in Red Lodge, Mt (20 minutes from my Sister!). I never heard of Rock Springs until I bought this rifle!
I know, long story but so cool and such a small world!
The next day! last Friday I decided to pull a few more Butt Plates off a some old shotguns I recently picked up. Second Model 12 12 gauge (old worn workhorse of a field gun) I find a 1919 Michigan hunting license! $1.00. Sold to a 42 year old guy from Detroit in New Baltimore, Michigan and signed by a deputy game warden. Looked up the serial number of the Model 12, 1918. That license was put in a new gun in 1919 and sat there 101 years until I found it 1/10/20! 2 licenses in 3 guns! After 40+ years of pulling butt plates off!

I will now pull off every butt plate of every old gun that I own, or own in the future!

That is so cool!
I've pulled literally hundreds of butt plates off old guns over the years and never found anything. UNTIL!
Wednesday Jan 8th 2020. Yup, last Wednesday I received a 1945/46 Savage 99 250-3000 from a dealer in Missouri. It had a gents name and Rock Springs Wyoming engraved (Amateur)on the bottom of the receiver. I bought the rifle to use as my vintage hunting rifle in Montana and Wisconsin. On Thursday, I popped the butt plate off and found the gents Wyoming Bear and Deer license from 1949! $5.00, and the Deer coupon was gone. Address in Rock Springs, 44 years old, etc.
I talked to my Sister who lives just south of Billings, Mt and told her about it. She said, Rock Springs? Call Bob! Who's Bob? I asked. She says you remember him we went to High School with him in Cary Illinois! He is the Curator of the Rock Springs, Wyoming Historical Museum! See if he can find anything out about the guy. What are the odds!
I called the museum, and he retired in 2017, but they gave me his number. I called him, had a nice chat with him and he promised to look into the fella for me. Small world for sure! In the mean time, another friend of mine is big in Geneology and looked the guy up. Born in 1905, married Jan 8th 1932(exactly 88 years before I received the rifle!), His Fathers name was Ed (same as mine), in Red Lodge, Mt (20 minutes from my Sister!). I never heard of Rock Springs until I bought this rifle!
I know, long story but so cool and such a small world!
The next day! last Friday I decided to pull a few more Butt Plates off a some old shotguns I recently picked up. Second Model 12 12 gauge (old worn workhorse of a field gun) I find a 1919 Michigan hunting license! $1.00. Sold to a 42 year old guy from Detroit in New Baltimore, Michigan and signed by a deputy game warden. Looked up the serial number of the Model 12, 1918. That license was put in a new gun in 1919 and sat there 101 years until I found it 1/10/20! 2 licenses in 3 guns! After 40+ years of pulling butt plates off!

I will now pull off every butt plate of every old gun that I own, or own in the future!