1884 springfield trapdoor

[jugulater]

i bought this gun years ago, all complete except the stock had snapped at the wrist. I recently found a nice carbine stock to put it in and so ive begun working it back into shape, the barrel has cleaned up ok, and slugged out at .461. my issue is with the rear sight, its the later one with the adjustment knob for windage. the darn thing has a ton of slop, it will silde back and forth at will. is there a way to tighten the windage? or am i going to have to replace it?

[fouronesix]

Sounds like you have the Buffington sight. You could take it off the rifle and see what the problem is. The whole top plate with staff attached swings like a turntable with matching radius cuts fore and aft.

I would guess the windage adjustment screw threads or the mating "teeth" on the turntable plate are stripped or worn. Buying an original Buffington in good condition won't be cheap. They are an excellent sight so it's worth trying to get the one you have working... at least enough to be useful.

You could go ahead and use it as is to work up a good load. Just use a piece of tape to keep the top plate secured to the base at whatever windage. Once a windage zero is found with the best load that you will settle on, maybe take the sight apart and put a thin shim under the turntable to secure it at that windage location. Or, simply apply a little super glue to the front radius seam between the turntable and the base. The glue is no big deal because a little heat and solvent will break the glue if needed for future windage correction or different load.

The long range, right hand bore twist, spin drift correction is already built into the staff when it is raised- that's the reason the staff slide is canted to the left. :)

[doc1876]

there are people that will rebuild springfield parts but you might as well buy a new one for the price they charge

[craig61a]

A couple of sights left here...

http://trapdoorcollector.com/TrapdoorSights.html

I've bought stuff from him before, good guy to work with.

[StrawHat]

A couple of sights left here...

http://trapdoorcollector.com/TrapdoorSights.html

I've bought stuff from him before, good guy to work with.

Al will also answer your questions honestly. So if your sight can be fixed, he will tell you what is needed to fix it and if it is a hard or easy fix.

Kevin

[jugulater]

i dismantled the sight and appears that the teeth on the adjustment screw are worn a good bit. i may attempt to shim it. if shimming it doesn't work i will superglue it in place. are there any aftermarket sight options for the trapdoor? ive heard of people using them for long range competition, but those were probably custom build guns.

[kootne]

About 20 years ago I got some Buffington parts from S&S Firearms, they everything imaginable and they quite cheap. So I just googled them and all I can say is," Gosh, Toto, we aren't in Kansas any more!".

[Bent Ramrod]

Some people put vernier sights on Trapdoors, set up like they were on the Officer's Model. This generally involves inletting a block of steel in the wood behind the barrel breech which has holes drilled and tapped correctly for the sight base. This would probably be at least as expensive as fixing/replacing the Buffington windage screw, though. Also, such a modification would not be allowed in many Trapdoor class shooting matches.

[M-Tecs]

http://www.ssfirearms.com/ are very good people to do business with. Might have the parts you need http://www.ssfirearms.com/products.asp?cat=94&pg=10

[Simonpie]

For thickening up loose threaded joints I suggest blue loctite instead of superglue. The blue stuff hardens into more of a goop than a solid, so you can still adjust it but it tends to stay put. Again, if it gets too stiff, heat will loosen it up. I use it on my old car on the wing window and mirror pivot. Fine for occasional adjustment, but it stays put otherwise.

[Lead Fred]

Bought one of Al's rear M1889 sights for my Handi 45/70, sure works good

[fouronesix]

For thickening up loose threaded joints I suggest blue loctite instead of superglue. The blue stuff hardens into more of a goop than a solid, so you can still adjust it but it tends to stay put. Again, if it gets too stiff, heat will loosen it up. I use it on my old car on the wing window and mirror pivot. Fine for occasional adjustment, but it stays put otherwise.

The blue Loctite would be the easiest to deal with-- but no suggestion from me about gluing the rack and pinion screw system. The suggestion was for simply gluing the joint between the top turntable plate and the base section.

[RenoDave]

I think I have one with the leaf broke off, Let look for it over the weekend

[RenoDave]

also saw this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Trapdoor-45-70-Buffington-WINDAGE-SIGHT-SCREW-NUT-/231483059794?pt=Vintage_Hunting&hash=item35e5772e52

[kootne]

Here is a windage screw and nut for sale reasonable

http://gunauction.com/buy/13116211/

[jugulater]

ive been messing with the sight some more and it appears the windage screw is moving back and forth on its own. is there a way to tighten it? i dont want to go messing with stuff and break something.

Reno- my sight is perfectly good besides the loosness in the windage screw. actually the rear sight is in better shape than the rest of the gun.

[RenoDave]

Ok dug up my broke sight, it has some play it it also, I think you would be best to get one of the new screw sets or make thin washer to place under the head of the front mounting screw which is also the pivot for the windage. When you get the windage were you want it tighten it down and it will lock it down. I have had two or three different rifles, have always converted them to Buffington sights never had to use much windage.

[jugulater]

i just got rid of the gun, literally, one of my buddies came by with a spencer shotgun and we traded. im feeling pretty good about it too, ive been wanting a spencer shotgun for a couple years.