Finally made the trip and came back with the Trapdoor.

[Babbott213]

So if some of you remember, back in Jan. I was looking at a 1873 model Springfield Trapdoor. Here is the link.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sha...8&share_type=t

I finally made the drive on Saturday “ 12.5 hours round trip” and picked it up. Paid $625 for it. I think I got a fair price for it anyway. Now here is the confusion. By the serial number it dates to 1886, but the trapdoor says Model 1873, but it has the Buffington sight. Any thoughts on this? I’m going to start and dig in and start and research it as soon as time allows. I want to do so digging before I load up a load and shoot it. Thinking about just start and cast my own boolits for it and go with a soft lead instead of a hard cast. But first I’ll need to slug it to see what the bore diameter is.

Also, it has a metal checkered pistol grip. In my last post, some thought it was a wood add on, but it’s actually a metal one. Not sure if it an original piece or not. The cleaning rod seems to be stuck in there pretty good as I have pulled and pulled and she will not budge. Yet anyway.

Here is some photos I took this morning before heading out for the day. Wife’s orders as I was away all day yesterday.




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[Babbott213]

I forgot to add that I also got 3 supposed to be original rounds. They appear to be copper cases and in the photo is the head stamp.


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[Jniedbalski]

Looks nice

[dubber123]

Looks like $600 worth of fun all day long The bore on mine is "generous" and looks like an old muddy road. Shoots under 1" at 50 yds. with very little load development though. Have fun!

[varsity07840]

I forgot to add that I also got 3 supposed to be original rounds. They appear to be copper cases and in the photo is the head stamp.


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The 1884 did not get the 1884 breech block stamp until 1887.

[Chill Wills]

The walnut pistol grip was the first variation. Your metal one is the second variation starting in 1880.
The Buffington rear sight starting being put on about 1886 and 1887.
I think, looking at the primer cup, those 45 GOV rounds are likely made of brass.

Do you have a plan to somehow measure the bore and groove? I ask because it is not something you can easily do on a three groove barrel.

[M-Tecs]

http://trapdoorcollector.com/

[Babbott213]

The walnut pistol grip was the first variation. Your metal one is the second variation starting in 1880.
The Buffington rear sight starting being put on about 1886 and 1887.
I think, looking at the primer cup, those 45 GOV rounds are likely made of brass.

Do you have a plan to somehow measure the bore and groove? I ask because it is not something you can easily do on a three groove barrel.

I’ve looked at the cases, and there appears to be a reddish copper color beneath, but I’m not sure. I’ll have to do more research on the cases though as how to properly tell the difference.

As far as how to tell the bore diameter is I’ll slug it and then wrap a 0.001” shim around the slug and then measure and then deduct .002”. That’s how I was instructed when I done my Winchester 1873 lever which is a 5 groove barrel. If there is a better way, I haven’t found it yet. I’m all ears though.


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[Babbott213]

http://trapdoorcollector.com/

Done been checking it out. I plan on talking to them at some point.


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[Babbott213]

The 1884 did not get the 1884 breech block stamp until 1887.

So it’s still considered a Model 1873 since it’s stamped 1873?


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[Babbott213]

Looks like $600 worth of fun all day long The bore on mine is "generous" and looks like an old muddy road. Shoots under 1" at 50 yds. with very little load development though. Have fun!

I just ran a bore scope down it and all it looks to have is just some minor surface rust in a few places. I was shocked. I’m getting itchy wanting to shoot this old girl.


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[M-Tecs]

So it’s still considered a Model 1873 since it’s stamped 1873?


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http://trapdoorcollector.com/m84.html

Model 1884 Rifle
The designation, Model 1884, is somewhat nebulous. The changes that are associated with the model all occurred before or after 1884. For example, the trigger associated with the model is serrated, that change occurred in 1883. Likewise, the Buffington rear sight was not perfected for the gun until 1885. Also, the breech block which is dated "1884" did not appear on guns until 1887. So, there were no obvious changes that occurred with the beginning of 1884. However, the Buffington rear sight is the one item that collectors associate with the model. It should be said that marksmen found the sight to be excellent, but troops found it to be an obstruction.
The Model 1884 carbine has the same changes. However, because the rear sight could be easily damaged when taken in and out of the carbine boot, a rear sight guard was made as part of the barrel band. It was designated the Model 1890 Rear Sight Protector.
Both the rifle and the carbine can be found with a milled front sight cover or with one of several snap-on covers. Several versions of the Model 1883 cover were made for the rifle and the carbine. Some were stamped with a letter, ("R" or "C") denoting rifle or carbine, but most were unmarked. This topic will be addressed in the Trapdoor Springfield Newsletter.

[Deadeye Bly]

It looks like your metal pistol grip adapter is original. The repros don't have the detail in the checkering as the original. If so It was quite a score. I would certainly call it an 1884. I shoot a .462" diameter bullet in mine and it shoots very well. Shoot soft lead and it should bump up to fill the grooves. 25 or 30 to 1 should work OK. With the sight laid down it is the battle position which will be sighted in for about 350 yards or so. For closer work you need to stand the sight up and use either the peep hole or notch. The sight is marked for both. Have fun with it and let us know how it shoots.

[Babbott213]

It looks like your metal pistol grip adapter is original. The repros don't have the detail in the checkering as the original. If so It was quite a score. I would certainly call it an 1884. I shoot a .462" diameter bullet in mine and it shoots very well. Shoot soft lead and it should bump up to fill the grooves. 25 or 30 to 1 should work OK. With the sight laid down it is the battle position which will be sighted in for about 350 yards or so. For closer work you need to stand the sight up and use either the peep hole or notch. The sight is marked for both. Have fun with it and let us know how it shoots.

Yeah, I’m thinking the pistol grip is an original too. One thing is I’m gonna have to learn how to use these Buffington sights. All new ground for me. Casting will be too. Gonna take it slow as I now have two guns to cast boolits for.


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[Bent Ramrod]

I think your cartridges are standard commercial offerings for the time, from Union Metallic Cartridge Co. The Government may have bought them for the Army as well.

I bought two boxes of those back in the 80’s and shot them in my Garrett Sharps carbine. They are brass and had a 500 gr lead bullet over some kind of smokeless powder. Closest I could guess from pictures and descriptions was Sharpshooter.

That little carbine really backed off those bullets when the trigger was pulled. I switched to the Ideal 457124 for reloading and shooting became much more comfortable.

I still have 20 of those cases left, which I load exclusively with black powder. U.M.C.’s “S H” designation stood for “solid head,” to advertise the improvement in strength over the earlier flimsy folded-head shells. But though the base and rim are “solid,” the primer pocket sits proud of the base of the shell inside, so today we refer to them as “semi-balloon-head” cases.

[marlinman93]

So it’s still considered a Model 1873 since it’s stamped 1873?

Over the many years of these Springfield Trapdoors being in arsenals, they often got reworked by armorers and changing parts from different rifles wasn't unusual. It's always nice to find one where everything appears original to that gun, but it's far more common to find them with mixed parts.

[Drydock]

http://www.4570book.info/

[waksupi]

To remove the cleaning rod, you have to actually bend it slightly to clear the catch up front. Once it clears the notch on the rod, you are good to go.

[tbx-4]

Over the many years of these Springfield Trapdoors being in arsenals, they often got reworked by armorers and changing parts from different rifles wasn't unusual. It's always nice to find one where everything appears original to that gun, but it's far more common to find them with mixed parts.

And not to forget the Bannerman Specials... The original parts gun... Maybe.

[40-82 hiker]

Good luck and enjoy! I've had my 1884 TD since my Dad bought it for me around '66 or so. I have tried ever since to wear it out, and it still shoots as good now as it did then. You will find the sights to be okay. I made a new front sight for mine (kept the old one to replace and make it original - still have the original front sight too) as it shot very high at 100 yards. YMMV.

I cast PB boolits with 20:1.

Congratulations.