New 116 Year Old Trapdoor

[WBH]

I just picked up a Model 1884 Rod Bayonet Trapdoor in nice condition. Some slight wear in the hinge with a very slight side to side play, but overall great lock-up and function. Nice cartouche and wood. I'll try to post pics later.

The interesting thing is that the bore, just under the rear Buffington sight, gets slightly tighter on the patch when I cleaned it. Bore is excellent, though it has some heavy leading in spots that need removal. It's like the reverse of a ringed barrel. Pressure is smooth all the way down to that spot and equal to the first portion after that area. Just about .50" that gets tighter. Maybe an area of heavy leading????

Any thoughts? I don't have access to a bore-scope to examine it.

[405]

Super! I really like Trapdoors! I think you'd have a Model "1888" there with the rod bayonet???

It will take some serious work to get all the lead/other fouling out to see what is going on in that portion of the bore. Would be unusual to be a constriction or tight spot in the bore. Might try an old bronze bore brush wrapped tightly with bronze wool (fine) then soaked with Kroil. Keep after it until the bore is as clean as possible. Once the lead/fouling is out....the true bore surface will be revealed in that area. Some bores have rough spots that gather more lead and junk. Sometimes it's just the way the particles of lead and burned powder are layed down from shooting.

After cleaning, slug her and fire a few cast bullets at groove dia. or .001" over. Even with less than perfect bores they tend to shoot very, very well. Just takes longer to clean after shooting.

[floodgate]

WBH:

That play in the hinge is normal, and deliberately designed-in, so that none of the load is carried by the pin itself. The block is "trapped" by its bearing on the "breechplug" face at the back of the receiver, and the overhang of the receiver frame at top front, with the hammer - after it falls - holding the locking cam and the tail of the block down for extra security. Reaming the pin hole in the block to an oval (fore-and-aft) opening was one of the first mods made to the original 1873 action. The 1888's are especially nice with their improved trigger guard assembly, though the ramrod bayonet was a real loser. (When Teddy Roosevelt was presented with the prototype of the rod bayonet 1903 Springfield, he reportedly stabbed it into the floor of the Oval Office, bent it double, and said, "Now go build up one with a real KNIFE on it!")

On the constriction, once you get it cleaned up, look or poke around inside and see if one of the sight screw holes has dimpled its seat into the bore. I've never seen this happen on Trapdoors, but it happens on modern firearms now and then.

Have fun with it!

Doug

[WBH]

In closer measuring the area is exactly 2" towards the muzzle from the forwardmost edge of the forward barrel band. No sight screws near it. I will pull the barrel from the stock this weekend and take a look at the lower portion of the barrel concealed by the stock. In the meantime I have been soaking it in Kroil. Maybe a good stiff brushing and some JB's on a tight patch will clear it up. I just wish I could see down that far to have a better idea. It will be interesting to slug the barrel until just before the narrowing and then through it. I wonder what the constriction measures. But hopefully it will clean out. Squeezing a bullet down and then having the barrel open up is a recipe for alot of gas cutting and leading. We shall see.

[crossfireoops]

WBH,

I just about ALWAYS find problems in and around the Rear Staff sight area of Military Rifle muskets........Anyone's....our Trapdoors, other country's Rollers, and the early 71 / 84 bolt guns too.

Reckon they didn't have "De-Magnetizers" for getting all the iron / Steel settled down.....And sights that were soldered on seem to show it worse than those screw mounted.

Otherwise nice barrels showing pits, and deterioration , ....12:00 under the staff / ladder sights.

Just reporting here,......having seen and scoped it a bunch.

Rod bayonet '84 ?

thinkin' '88 dittos,.........GREAT rifle.

GTC

[WBH]

I bought it as a Model 1884, but by the serial # it seems to be a 1888. See the below link. They did make some Model 1884 Round Rod Bayo rifles.

No harm...............paid a fair price for an '88.

http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/m84rrb.html

[405]

WBH,
I think the "1884 Rod Bayo" that the link refers to is also known as the "Experimental" rod bayonet model.

I have both an 1884 and an 1888. Love to shoot both. Kind of fond of the 1888 because of its unusual nature and TR's experiment with the rod bayonet:mrgreen:

Yes, the brushing along with tight jagged patches with JB/Kroil will also cut the crud. Good luck with the new oldster!

[HEAD0001]

I am patiently waiting on the picture. Tom.

:drinks:

[exblaster]

here is a link to a good bore scope.http://testproducts.com/safecart/product_info.php/cPath/131/products_id/610

Exblaster

[WBH]

Thanks for the link, but I have no interest in buying one right now. I am nor a BR shooter that changes barrels at the least amount of throat errosion.

[georgewxxx]

http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/production.html Check for your serial number and model here to get an idea of when it was made and if it might be origional....Geo

[WBH]

Here are some pics.

Still wondering about the bore restriction. Cleaned it as much as can be done, and still gets tight ahead of the rear band. Bore appears to be .455"- .448".
That is pushed fully through past the restriction.

Lyman Postell gives an OAL just into the lands at 2.935"

Lyman Schmitzer OAL is 3.029"

I have a custom Paul Jones that weights 430 grains that the OAL is 2.527"

If it warms up a bit I'll shoot it next week.

I am new to Trapdoors, so I have some questions:

Is the trigger supposed to be loose until let-off on the fully cocked trigger position?

[georgewxxx]

Been shooting with "LOOSE" triggers for 45 years. That's the way Springfield made all trapdoors and front stuffers. Yeah, I'd be a bit couscous shooting it full tilt with something not quite right about the bore. You might want to try a light smokeless load of 10gr of some trap powder and a lighter boolit. ...Geo

[WBH]

Well I cleaned and cleaned and still have that bore restriction 2" forward of the rear barrel band. I just can't figure out what it might be. Any other thoughts?
A light load of black with a double card and the lighter bullet seated deep might tell more. The barrel was leaded pretty bad when I got it. Nice and bright now....just that weird restriction.

[floodgate]

WBH:

At this point, the best option is to shoot it with "correct" loads, and see how it does. We've all seen great-looking bores shoot poorly, and lousy-looking ones shoot well, so....

Fg