H&R Officers TD

[vano]

What can I expect from this rifle. Were these made in the USA and are they worth $600.00 The rifle looks like new in the pics but is used.
thanks vano

[Kraschenbirn]

I've got one of the H&R Trapdoors...a plain-jane cavalry carbine...and, yes, they're good-quality guns which were made in the U.S. during the mid-70s. So far as what they're worth, here in Central IL, I've seen three H&R repros sell over the last couple years - two carbines and an OM, all in good condition. One of the carbines was an unfired "Little BigHorn Commemorative" and went, at auction, for something like $875-$900. The other two sold (on a different auction) in the $700-$750 range with, surprisingly, the carbine bringing a little more than the OM.

So far as shooting, duplicating the old carbine load (55 gr Ffg under a 405 gr RNFP) gets me around 1150 fps and 2" 100M groups, shooting off a field rest. (As a side note, I've replaced my H&R's mickey mouse folding rear sight with an original 1884 "C" sight."

Bill

[Tom-ADC]

What can I expect from this rifle. Were these made in the USA and are they worth $600.00 The rifle looks like new in the pics but is used.
thanks vano

I have one, the rear tang sight could be better but I enjoy shooting it, mine is the 100 year anniversary model.
I think for $600 you got a deal. Yes made in USA.

[NickSS]

The H&Rs were good quality rifles and I owned several in my life including one that was a prototype Creedmore target rifle. I sure wish I had that one as it was unmarked except for the serial number (001) and a Us on the top of the butt plate. I was an idiot when I sold that one. $600 is a good price for an officers model.

[Larry Gibson]

I have an Officer' Model H&R TD. I've replaced the BB with an original to finally cure the "pop open" phenomanum that is peculiar to some of the H&Rs. I've also put an original M1878 Type III rear sight on it an a Beech front sight. I picked up a LBH H&R that also had the pistol grip adaptor (why is beyond me they put that and a tang sight on a carbine and called it a LBH model?) and transfered it to the OM. Now the OM is about perfect as a replica OM and I shoot it a lot. It is nice with the .458 groove barrel as most any 45-70 type bullet, jacketed, commercial cast or home cast will work well. With jacketed bullets and true FB'd cast bullets and smokeless or BP I can get 1 - 1.5 moa with mine using the tang rear sight. With Lee's 405HB (replicant of the M1873 bullet) in replicated M1873 loads using smokeles of BP I can get 2 - 2.5 moa. Did I mention I shoot my OM a lot? I do really like it and it is a very "fun" rifle to load for and shoot.

Larry Gibson

[vano]

thanks to you all for the input the 600.00 om/td got away but there is another for sale for in the short sevens
thanks again vano

[Ilwil]

I have an OM too, and a while back, the breech started popping open with pretty mild loads. I was so dismayed by this that its been a safe queen while I figured out what to do about it. Recently, I have been reading threads like Larry's and have learned this is semi-common. Anything to worry about? I don't forsee replacing the breech block. Is it a feasible gunsmith fix?

[Larry Gibson]

I never had the BB open far enough to eject a case. Usually the BB just unlatches with the case backing out a bit. This is disconcerting but I never got even powder blow back in the face with service level BP or smokless loads. Not something I cared for as a regualr occurance for the obvious reasons. I went to great lengths to "fix" it but neither of my BBs were fitted that well to begin with. I have seen several with the "fix" that are functioning fine with no further problems. You might try it or have a gunsmith try it.

Larry Gibson

Here's the directions;

This sounds harder to do than it really is.

The cam must be positioned back to the right location on the shaft. A screwdriver was placed in the opening at the top of the cam to lock it in place while turning the thumb latch. Adjust the cam so when the top of the thumb latch is pushed forward as far as it will go (as in opening the action) the cam is rotated enough so its bottom will just clear the rear of the receiver and open. Remove the breach block from the action and secured it in a padded vise with the left side up. Be careful not to move the cam on the shaft. If you do re-install the breach block in the action and re-adjust.

I removed the set screw and then inserted a drill bit, #43, that is a tight slip fit into the hole. This gives a guide to line up a straight edge across the end of the shaft centering down the length of the drill bit. A line is scribed across the end of the shaft to use for reference, an idiot mark if you will.

A punch is then used to drive the shaft out of the cam and breach block. When out of the breach block the cam is then put back onto the shaft, the #43 drill bit put into the screw hole and the idiot mark lined back up. The original thread size on H&Rs was 4x40, which is pretty small. It is best to go one size larger, which cleans up some buggered threads and added some strength (maybe). A 5x40 tap and a #38 to drill the hole works. Also find longer screws in 5x40 that fill the entire hole in the shaft and the cam. The cam is secured in a machine vise on the milling table of a drill press. The job could be done on a mill also. The #38 is run down in front of the cam and shaft lining it up with the idiot mark and the #43 drill bit in the hole. Once lined up the #43 drill bit is removed from the hole using the mill table adjusted to redrill the hole. A liberal amount of cutting oil was used, as there was some hardening to the parts. The hole was drilled completely through the shaft and out through the backside of the cam.

Then tap the hole. Be very careful as it is easy to break a tap that small!!! Once again do not spare the cutting oil.

The new 5x40 screw is screwed in until the end just almost comes out the backside. Measure the excess screw length and remove the screw and remove the excess screw length.

The cam and shaft are separated and re-installed in the breach block. Don’t forget to put the spring in. Eyeballing the alignment using the idiot mark and now put the #38 drill bit through the enlarged hole. When it is lined up run the tap back into the hole to clean up any burrs created by the removal and re-installation of the cam on the shaft. When everything is lined up degrease the hole and blow it out with compressed air. The little cans sold for blowing off computers, etc. work fine. Put a little dab of lock-tite in the hole and then screw the 5x40 screw in until the measured excess amount that is protruding. Let the lock-tite dry and then cut off any excess the screw and polish it smooth with the surface of the cam. Re-install breach block back in the rifle.

[Ilwil]

I know my limitations, and that is way past them. I will copy this, keep it to refer it to a smith one day. I was very kind of you to go to this trouble, and I thank you.