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Old 02-04-2016, 07:31 PM
alfajim alfajim is offline
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Hi new member from California here. Am retired and retired Navy also Vietnam era vet. US Army.
Found this site thru Bing looking for info to clean a trapdoor gun stock. Have browsed the site some in the past decided to join so can post.

I have two trapdoors one complete original 1879 rifle with bayonet, in very good original condition. This was passed down to me from my great grand father thru grand father to me. Needed a couple of things to put back to shooting condition which I have done.
Decided to put together another one to us as a shooter and save the heirloom.
Have all the parts to build it plan to shorten the barrel some and do a full rust blue on all the major parts and niter blue on the screws and things. The stock I got is in great shape still has the cartouche's and few gouges or nicks, has been shortened and re shaped to reuse the front band and the nose cap was reinstalled. Want to fill in the ramrod groove for comfort.
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Old 02-04-2016, 08:06 PM
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Welcome from south Texas.
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Old 02-04-2016, 08:46 PM
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Welcome from Tampa
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Old 02-04-2016, 10:55 PM
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Howdy from South Carolina, and welcome to the forum.
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Old 02-05-2016, 12:11 AM
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Welcome from Cincy.

When you get done, throw some pics our way.
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Old 02-05-2016, 07:31 AM
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Welcome from Wisconsin. It sounds like you have a nice piece of history there.

I did the same thing you did only in reverse order - Navy first then retired from the Army.
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Old 02-05-2016, 07:39 AM
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Welcome from ND
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Old 02-05-2016, 10:08 AM
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Welcome from Va.
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Old 02-05-2016, 04:43 PM
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Welcome aboard.
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Old 02-05-2016, 05:32 PM
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Welcome from Ohio!!
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Old 02-05-2016, 06:08 PM
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Welcome from the eastern panhandle of West Virginia.
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Old 02-05-2016, 06:10 PM
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Welcome aboard from Pennsylvania!
Those old trapdoors are a pleasure to shoot,
You will be well rewarded by preserving a family heirloom!
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Old 02-05-2016, 06:27 PM
spad124 spad124 is offline
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Welcome from Northern IL!
I recently inherited a 1873 model Trapdoor made in 1884. It's in very good condition with a bayonet, but is not a family heirloom like yours. I haven't gotten around to shooting it yet.

How did your great grandfather acquire the Trapdoor?
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Old 02-05-2016, 07:00 PM
30-30remchester 30-30remchester is offline
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Welcome from Colorado and thank you for your service, but OUCH. We collectors do not alter antique firearms to suit our taste. And especially historical firearms. We should talk. Any who welcome to the forum. I have been on numerous forums over the years and this is the only one I am an active member of. There are some great guys on this forum and many have vast knowledge and are willing to share.
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Old 02-05-2016, 08:43 PM
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Welcome to the forum.
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Old 02-06-2016, 12:33 AM
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Welcome from La Grange!
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Old 02-07-2016, 11:34 AM
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Hi from NC and welcome to the forum. Thank you for your service.
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Old 02-07-2016, 12:50 PM
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Welcome from the Bootheel of Missouri . . .
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Old 02-08-2016, 09:05 PM
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Welcome from Texas alfajim. Great forum for all things S&W, have fun, learn lots, share what you know.
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  #20  
Old 02-09-2016, 10:13 AM
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Welcome from the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey.

Thank you for your service!
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Old 02-10-2016, 01:44 PM
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Welcome aboard from a the "GunShine" state of Florida.

State of over "1 MILLION 150 THOUSAND" Concealed Carry Licenses.
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Old 02-11-2016, 01:34 AM
alfajim alfajim is offline
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Hi guys sorry for the delay in thanking all the welcome aboards I find it a little difficult to navigate around the site as I don't have a S & W gun.
Best of my knowledge my great grand father was in the Union Army during the Civil War and afterwards I believe he got it after he got out later. Am trying to trace his and it's history no joy so far.

Jim
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Old 02-11-2016, 01:45 AM
alfajim alfajim is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 30-30remchester View Post
Welcome from Colorado and thank you for your service, but OUCH. We collectors do not alter antique firearms to suit our taste. And especially historical firearms. We should talk. Any who welcome to the forum. I have been on numerous forums over the years and this is the only one I am an active member of. There are some great guys on this forum and many have vast knowledge and are willing to share.
Not going to alter the original rifle just clean and oil it a little re-oil the stock and put it back together with the necessary parts to make complete and operational. The extractor and main spring swivel thats it.

That's why I got all the pieces to build one for just shooting so the collectable one is for viewing, might shoot it once in a while, maybe?

Jim

Last edited by alfajim; 02-11-2016 at 02:58 PM. Reason: spelling
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  #24  
Old 02-16-2016, 09:20 PM
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I too have my Grandfathers Trapdoor.

It is in excellent condition, looks almost new.

Purists would scream but gramps left it in a small space behind the bathroom plumbing, there was a water leak for some time, the finish was gone when Dad picked it up.

He redid it. But is is nice and shootable. Not all guns can be saved with the original patina. Good for you on saving your family heirloom as close to original as possible.

We had one uncle who came to deer hunt with us, he used the trapdoor but never saw nor got a deer. Dad and I would shoot 410 shot shells out of it once in a while.
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Old 02-21-2016, 01:59 AM
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Welcome to the forum. Sounds like you have a good plan.
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  #26  
Old 03-03-2016, 04:26 AM
alfajim alfajim is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by model70hunter View Post
I too have my Grandfathers Trapdoor.

It is in excellent condition, looks almost new.

Purists would scream but gramps left it in a small space behind the bathroom plumbing, there was a water leak for some time, the finish was gone when Dad picked it up.

He redid it. But is is nice and shootable. Not all guns can be saved with the original patina. Good for you on saving your family heirloom as close to original as possible.

We had one uncle who came to deer hunt with us, he used the trapdoor but never saw nor got a deer. Dad and I would shoot 410 shot shells out of it once in a while.
Funny how things are different and yet remain the same. My brother and I shot 410 shells in this one when we were little about 8 or 9 yrs old until the main spring swivel broke. Put it away for years, then my sister stored it for a while wrapped in towels in her like pantry with the water heater got rusty on lock plate, hammer and trigger guard not sevier thou. Cleaned up with out bad pitting.

Jim

Last edited by alfajim; 03-03-2016 at 04:27 AM.
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  #27  
Old 03-03-2016, 05:32 AM
k22fan k22fan is offline
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Welcome aboard.

I have reloaded for and shot a couple of carbines and an original rifle that was very good condition by modern gun grading. The later with its excellent condition bore was a delight. Firing 500 to 540 grain bullets its sight calibrations were very close out to 600 yards. Granted it was not prairie dog accurate but firing prone we could make a 55 gallon drum ring with every shot at 600 yards.

Two different approaches to accuracy both worked. By modern standards Trap Door bores are all oversize and vary a lot. While they were in service that didn't matter because black powder upset the soft lead bullets to fill the grooves. That approach still works well. It takes a mold custom cut for your barrel to get good accuracy using smokless powder and modern hard cast bullets like we use in .30 calibers. Random .458" off the shelf bullets loaded over smokless don't shoot so great.

Rust from black powder fouling was never a problem. It is pretty well confined within the bore which is easily cleaned.

Next we'll work on your S&W shortage. Used K frame 4" .38 specials are still affordable. They are comfortable to fire, easy to shoot accurately and a good place to start.
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Old 03-03-2016, 06:30 AM
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Greetings from Up North!

I think it's a great idea. You'll have a shooter that's also a looker, plus an heirloom. What's not to like about that? We'll need to see photos.

Last year I almost bought a refinished carbine in .45-70. It was beautiful, (including the bore) and 700 bucks. While I waffled, someone else grabbed it. It was one of the coolest rifles my LGS has had for a while.
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