Gemmer Trapdoor .45-70

[varsity07840]

100 yard group. I'm sure the rifle can do better but 68 year old eyes and bifocals don't help.

[M-Tecs]

Very nice. I have all the parts (except for Gemmer style hammer) for one. I just need to get to finishing mine.

[country gent]

Very nice, rifle looks like a real craftsman did the conversion.

[bigted]

MORE PICTURES MY MAN!!! that is a very nice lookin rifle from what I see. Did you do the work? How long is the barrel? Much more info is needed ... come now ... no teasing

[mazo kid]

Yes, more pictures and info please. I am in the process of building one myself in 40-50 SBN caliber. I am using an octagon 40 caliber barrel and a Hawken style lock, along with a stock made from a home-grown walnut plank harvested in our yard. For me, it has been a long and often frustrating process as there were no plans, just pictures. I have built a few muzzloading guns, but that was when I was a lot younger and didn't have arthritic hands. My frustration level isn't as high either. And a Hawken is a hard gun to get right. Marrying the lock to the receiver (and set triggers!) was a chore. I am about there though, need to modify and tweak the hammer to strike the firing pin.

[mazo kid]

Oh, forgot to compliment Varsity on the great looking rifle! Very nice work.

[varsity07840]

I'll put up some more pics shortly. The barrel is a tapered Green Mountain 28 1/2" plus the length of the receiver. The rifle was rough assembled in the white by Doc White, from Green River Rifle Works, back in the day. I did the remaining shaping of the stock and the stain and finish. I had the breech block case colored by an outfit whose name escapes me. The iron hardware is rust blued. After I shot it a few times, I added the MVA tang sight. The barrel needed at least 50 rounds to break in while I experimented with different loads.

[bigted]

That is awesome. This has always been a project I wanted to do. Very nice work and looks like she shoots nicely as well.

Cant wait to see your pictures.

[Deadeye Bly]

I remember reading somewhere that there is only one known octagon barrelled Gemmer trapdoor and that all the rest were standard round barrelled trapdoors.

[MaLar]

MORE PICTURES MY MAN!!! that is a very nice lookin rifle from what I see. Did you do the work? How long is the barrel? Much more info is needed ... come now ... no teasing

Agreed!

[mazo kid]

I remember reading somewhere that there is only one known octagon barrelled Gemmer trapdoor and that all the rest were standard round barrelled trapdoors.
You are probably right; but I have seen pictures of repros with octagon barrels. The reason I used one is that I wanted a smaller caliber rifle and that is the barrel I already had.