Original Trapdoor or Shilo/C Sharps

[sharpsguy]

By all means shoot black powder in that rifle. It would be criminal to use smokeless in it.

[country gent]

Heres a thought to consider, That rifle so far for most of its life has probably seen more Black Powder and cast bullets than anything else

[GARD72977]

I kind of hate to shoot it at all. The gun has never been apart. I guess i need toget over that. Im not a collector

[Chill Wills]

You don't need to take it apart to clean it - BP or Smokeless.
Please think twice about removing the hammer/lock plate if you do not know how. Most often owners try to pop them out of the inlet wood and sliver the edges.

That is a very nice Springfield and they are under valued and collected - IMHO
They ain't making them anymore. And, I will argue that they are far more accurate than most internet experts claim. Just look at the NRA records for 200-600yd midrange records, and all shot with that nasty BP.

[Tom Herman]

That is a fantastic Trapdoor!
Glad you bought it... I would have done the same thing.
Enjoy!

[jrmartin1964]

Congratulations on your "new" (well, it's new to you!) Springfield! I think you'll be well pleased, if not down right impressed, with how the Old Soldier performs once you've worked out the proper load for it. I highly recommend the afore mentioned "Loading Cartridges...etc." by J. Spence and Pat Wolf. My own copy is stained, tattered and dog-eared, and the pages are falling out, but it is still the reference I turn to first when assembling cartridges for my Model 1884.

I can fully understand your hesitation at burning Black Powder in such a beautiful rifle, but you won't have fully experienced the old Springfield until you've launched 500 grains of lead downrange with a full charge of BP out of a 100+ year old rifle. It is truly a sight, sound, and thrill that simply MUST be experienced!!

Oh, I see that we're almost neighbors!

[Geezer in NH]

Your gun has been apart, make no mistake about that.

[waksupi]

I shoot with guys, some of which have gawdawful big selections of old original BPCR's to shoot. Every one of us, if we are just going out to shoot for fun, take a Trapdoor. I saw Kenny Allaman win the 1000 yard match with one years ago down at the old Virginia City, Mt. Buffler Runners shoot.