Anybody have a Trapdoor Springfield?

[alde]

I am really thinking I want one. I am leaning toward a rifle instead of a carbine but you never know. I don't want anything rare, just a good shooter. I would only be shooting Cowboy level loads in it for fun.

Can you guys give me some pointers? Can I get a decent looking shooter for around 1K? I have a gunshow coming to my neighborhood in 2 weeks. I plan to at least handle a couple and see what the market is like in my area.

Thanks for any help.

 

[younggun22]

absolutely for less than a grand.

 

[41RF]

Agreed, especially around here. They are a lot of fun, I had an 1884 model with the Buffington wind gage sight. Only thing I ever shot with it besides targets was a rattler; head went one way, body the other. That's a nice heavy bullet!

 

[GatorFarmer]

I consigned mine locally for $700. Note that is not an attempt to advertise for sale, merely a price point. Mine is an 1884 that was cut into a carbine. It came off an Indian reservation in Oklahoma. At one point these rifles were given away to Indians for use in subsistence hunting. Apparently it was once popular, circa the Depression, to fire them with 2.5" .410 loads to dispatch animals on farms. The green and yellow box Remington 405gr load is supposed to be Trapdoor safe, at least for 1884s, and is capable of taking most animals as well now as in the 19th century.

Being pre 1899, they can be shipped direct without need for an FFL.

My gun was refinished by an armorer at Parris Island.

 

[walnutred]

For less than 1K you should be able to get not only a good shooter but everything you'll need to reload for it. And yes, if you shoot it much you will reload.

 

[alde]

Now I am really excited. I have a revolver I plan to sell to fund the trapdoor. I do reload so that should not be a problem. I have ordered a couple of books. One is a Reloading Cartridges for the Original Trapdoor Rifle and Carbine and the other is a general book on the subject.

 

[bovw]

Local gunsmith here has a couple of them. I've not handled them, but I believe $700 is the hat he asking for each.

 

[30-30remchester]

Carbines are twice as expensive as rifles in most areas. I prefer the weight and feel of the rifles myself. Remember to not shoot jacketed bullets often as the steel used in the barrels in these early guns were quite soft and jacketed bullets wear the rifling quite fast according to the experts.

 

[italiansport]

I have one and have shot it off and on over the years. It's a great deal of fun and definitely a link with the past.
Jim

 

[Iggy]

Go here for an article written by a fellow forum member.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/322123-those-trapdoor-springfields.html
I have a picture of mine posted in that thread.

 

[alde]

Go here for an article written by a fellow forum member.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/lounge/322123-those-trapdoor-springfields.html
I have a picture of mine posted in that thread.

Thanks for the link Iggy.

 

[sureshotbob]

I've had a few infantry rifles in the past. But the most accurate and fun one was a H&R carbine that I found for half the price of a original.
I also just shot cowboy type loads. I also had a Remington rolling block and a Marlin cowboy and a Ruger no. 1 that was brutal to shoot even with cowboy loads.

 

[LTC]

I have a 1873 rifle that was given to me about 1967 or so. Back then I replaced the rear sight with a windage adjustable Buffington sight from about 1884.

I don't think I have shot 15 rounds through it to date and haven't shot it in 40+ years.

The nice thing is they don't go bad from disuse.

LTC

 

[PALADIN85020]

I collected them many years ago when their prices were much more reasonable. The guns were:

1. An 1866 (2nd Allin conversion) rifle in .50/70
2. An 1868 rifle in .50/70
3. An 1879 rifle in .45/70
4. An 1879 carbine in .45/70 (photo above)
5. An 1888 rod bayonet rifle in .45/70

I got my first one, the 1879 rifle, for $65 in the early 1960s. Some idiot had completely coated it with with varnish, I guess in the belief that would protect it from rusting. I was able to carefully remove the varnish, and what was underneath was a fairly nice rifle.

I handloaded many .50/70 and .45/70 rounds, using moderate low-pressure charges of smokeless powder and bullets I cast myself. Initially I made .50/70 brass out of .348 Winchester. I loaded some Unique powder in the case, filled the rest of it up with Cream of Wheat, put a soap wad in the end of it, and fired it in the gun. This fire-formed the case, which I trimmed with a tube cutter and then final-trimmed with a file. The case heads were not wide enough for normal extraction by the gun, but I could shoot them and pluck them out. Later I found a supply of new-made .50/70 brass. .45/70 was a whole lot easier, as brass was (and is) still plentiful. I shot all of the guns listed above, and they were a lot of fun.

John

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I have several 45-70's but only one trapdoor, a 1873 pre-Custer Cavalry Carbine. In and around 1976, H&R made trapdoor rifles, carbines and Officer models. My friends that have them say all versions below SN 5000 shoot much better than those above. Ivan

 

[jmmitc06]

1k is a very nice trapdoor, most I see here in Ky that I would say are shooter condition are ~600.

Definitely make sure you look it over first, not so much for quality, but to make sure you are getting the model you want. I got in the mood for 73 trapdoor in 45-70 a while back and was told by a friend that they had a few real cheap at LGS. We looked it over, checked out the bore and so on, walked out with a nice gun for $350. Only thing was it was marked wrong in the store, it's actually an 1866 model in 50-70. I'm not complaining but given how the early model springfields were made (chopped up civil war muskets essentially) make sure to double check, they all look pretty similar. Needless to say the impulse buy got the better of me, still waiting to get around to loading up some ammo for it because it ain't out on the shelves.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Luckily, the Trapdoor sea is still full of nice fish!

The Buffington equipped rifles are the best shooters, but even the most basic sights are fun out to 1000 yds with 500 gr slugs.

 

[alde]

I must be serious. I just ordered RCBS dies, conversion kit for the Dillon 550, 150 Starline cases and 200 405grn cast bullets. I was looking over trapdoor reloading data and Varget was listed. I have 3 pounds of that and will try to get some Reloader #7 and H4198 to try. When I retire in a couple of years I will cast my own bullets and experiment with black powder loads.

Now I just need a rifle. The local show is a week from tomorrow.

 

[revho]

Stupid question time...but is this a trapdoor? It is a Springfield I believe. I can get better pics and model numbers off of it tomorrow if anyone is interested.

 

[Iggy]

Yup, it's a trapdoor infantry rifle. Rear sight is a Buffington. That may or may not be an indicator of the vintage of the rifle. Trapdoors were re-furbished and up dated from time to time.