Need info on a 1873 Springfield

[greenmntranger]

A friend asked me about this Springfield, and I am woefully ignorant when it comes to them so I have to ask. My friend is looking for a fare asking price and realizes that the blockage will diminish value.

Here is the email he sent to me with descriptions and pictures


Ron, here is the pics and info on the Springfield,thanks for you help,Bruce

the barrel is 25 1/2 ",the blockage is 6" from the breech,it is 45-70,i took pics of the markings,on the bottom of the butt there is a P with a circle around it,on the left side a box with 3 letters SWP(maybe) with 1884 under the letters,on each barrel band there is a U,on the barrel there is some markings also



http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/820/jyub.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/msjyubj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/842/luswc.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/neluswcj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/855/afgv.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/nrafgvj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/822/vmmd.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/muvmmdj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/843/6414c.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/nf6414cj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/834/zbkdv.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/n6zbkdvj)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/853/05l3.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/np05l3j)
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/818/uzi8.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/mquzi8j)

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[M-Tecs]

These are great sites for TD info:

http://www.trapdoorcollector.com (http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/)

http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/FAQ.html (http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/FAQ.html)

http://www.nps.gov/spar/historyculture/production-trapdoors.htm (http://www.nps.gov/spar/historyculture/production-trapdoors.htm)

http://www.gun-data.com/springfield_trapdoors.html (http://www.gun-data.com/springfield_trapdoors.html)


Stopping any further rust would be my first priority. The metal looks a little rough but do not do anything that removes or damages the patina or original stock finish. The stock seems to be in very goodshape. I have one that is the opposite of this excellent metal but a very rough stock. I am hoping to find a nice stock someday to replace it. It doen't look cut down but the the Rifle barrel is 32.5 inches and the Cadet barrel is 29.5 inches long so the 25.5 is a ?.

For prices this is a OK site http://trapdoors.com/ (http://trapdoors.com/)

[greenmntranger]

I had the same ? about the barrel length, but found a listing on a for sale site that mentioned a Springfield w/ a cut 25.5 inch barrel that had been done by a smith, so who knows

A little more info on the plugged barrel

"doesn't seem to be any swelling at (at the plugged point),when i got the gun,there was a wood plug with epoxy in the barrel end,i drilled that out,i tried to pound the other one out and it won't move"

[greenmntranger]

Got the serial # 257964

http://www.gun-data.com/springfield_trapdoors.html

indicates it was made between 1884 & 1885 and is a carbine ( with a 25.5 " barrel ?)

[M-Tecs]

It has a rifle or cadet stock and a rifle trigger guard. Carbines are 24" barrels. The short rifles had 26" but very rare http://trapdoorcollector.com/m82.html

[greenmntranger]

So would I be right to guess that it is a cut down rifle?
But the above mentioned site seems to indicate that the serial # fell in a year that only carbines were produce

[M-Tecs]

I have some general knowledge but I am far from an expert on TD’s.

Al Frasca at afrasca@erinet.com (afrasca@erinet.com) is a great guy. He may be willing to help.http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/researchhelp.html (http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/researchhelp.html)

Some restoration info http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/restoration.html (http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/restoration.html)

[StrawHat]

Al Frasca wrote the book on Trapdoors. I had a barreled action and he was able to talk for over an hour on what it was, what is should look like and what happened to it.

It is worth a call or email to him. He is also a gentleman and spends a lot of time at the shows freely giving information to all who ask.

[greenmntranger]

Sent him an email with the pictures. got a quick response.

You have an M73 rifle made in 1884. It appears correct, however the condition of he bore is critical. If the bore is minty new, then the price is around $800. If the bore is bad, then it is a parts gun valued in the $350 since it has a bad bore.

[BCRider]

Is there any way for you to get a long aircraft extension drill bit and then stick some plastic tubing over it other than the last inch? You could then drill an exploratory hole into that plug and from the bits which come out determine a little more as to the makeup of the material that is blocking you.

Um.... scratch the idea of the aircraft extention drill. I just realized that you'll need to run this in from the muzzle. So get a long 1/4 inch steel rod which is straight. Then file the end to resemble a small spade drill bit. If the plug is steel then it'll dull your mild steel rod right off the bat. If it's lead, wood, copper or anything else of that sort then your home made bit will make some shavings and from those you can get a good idea of what to do from there. Again protect the bore by using short bushings of vinyl plastic tubing pushed on over the rod.

We're not talking about wood spade bits in this case. Instead you want to make it look like this metal and glass spade bit for the tip. The angles of the two end facets are the ones that need to be angled and raked correctly to make it a good drill bit.

Here's a page with a good drawing of how you want to shape the end;

https://www.kenstoolsupply.com/cobra-carbide-spade-drills-spade-drills-32962.html

[greenmntranger]

Thanks for the idea BCRider, but I sent him a suggestion that he fill the bore with kerosene, let it soak for a bit and then gently tap the blockage out......it worked

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/856/aylw.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/nsaylwj)

hope to see the gun in person tomorrow

[plainsman456]

What was the blockage?

Glad it came out,they are fun to shoot.

I have used Trailboss and 325 grain lead,worked out to 600 yards.

[greenmntranger]

not sure what the blockage was. All my buddy said was "a piece of metal"

My buddy wont listen to reason. He doesn't accept that the value is about 400-500 He wants to have it looked at by a local gun shop. He seeems to think he has a 2500.00 gun since he has seen others ( near pristine) on line priced that high. Was thinking of buying it off him, but if he is going to be delusional I'll keep looking.

[StrawHat]

Too bad, if reality ever settles on him, it would make a nice shooter. Just because it is old doesn't mean it is worth a lot of money.

[greenmntranger]

Shows like American Pickers and Pawn Stars have made a lot of people think they're stuff is gold. Sad really, been looking for a Springfield for a while

[calaloo]

Single shot rifles around here are made of solid gold---at least according to their owners. At present there is a 3rd model Stevens Crackshot listed in a local sales paper. The ad reads "will sacrifice for $450.00" and I guarantee it was worn out years ago.

[bones37]

Too bad, if reality ever settles on him, it would make a nice shooter. Just because it is old doesn't mean it is worth a lot of money.


Shows like American Pickers and Pawn Stars have made a lot of people think they're stuff is gold. Sad really, been looking for a Springfield for a while

Ain't that the truth, people DO think just because its old or they've seen it on Pickers or Stars that it makes the thing worth prices equal to gold. About a year ago, an older woman, who is a real estate 'flipper' purchased an estate which had belonged to an older gentleman. The property had several outbuildings on in, which weren't much more than tin covered sheds. While cleaning out one of the building, she came across a #2 rolling block in 32-20. The exterior was Heavily rusted and pitted, the breechblock was seized shut, and the bore was like a sewer pipe. I asked her what she valued the rifle at, and her response was $600.00. I made her a fair offer on the rifle in which she promptly refused and was obviously insulted. The last time I saw the rifle it was hanging above a mantle.