Trapdoor Accuracy

[doubs43]

Some years ago I read an article that spoke of the US Army accuracy testing of the Trapdoor rifles. The Army hired two of the best long range shooters in the country to see what they could do with the issue rifles. The one fact that has stayed with me to this day is that the rifles shot 1.5 MOA consistently from 100 ~ 1,000 yards!

Has anyone here read the same article and perhaps know where it was published? The name Norm Flayderman keeps running through my mind but I can't say for certain that it was he who wrote the story.

[Doc Highwall]

Their is a lot of good reading in ( Loading Cartridges For The Original .45-70 Springfield Rifle And Carbine) by J.S.and Pat Wolf. You can also google 45-70 at 2 1/2 miles, shot at Sandy hook

[405]

doubs43,
I think you're asking about the Sandy Hook testing of 1879.
Here's a link to a brief compendium article about the testing.
http://home.earthlink.net/~sharpsshtr/CritterPhotos/SandyHook/SandyHook.html

[chuebner]

So far the best group I've got out of my M1888 Springfield is 2 1/4" @ 100yd. Load is a "beagled" Lyman 457125 as cast with 30:1 at .461 over 63gr. 2F GOEX. I recall reading somewhere that the govt. standard for the trapdoor was 3" @ 100yd. Could be wrong though.

charlie

[doubs43]

Thanks to all who have replied. I don't think the Sandy Hook tests are the source of the information I read but it's been a long time so I could be wrong. As I recall, the two men hired by the US Army were civilian shooters with exceptional long range skills and considered to be the top shooters of their day. I do remember being greatly impressed by 1.5 MOA accuracy all the way to 1,000 yards. That's good shooting in my book and speaks well of the rifles... not to mention the two men shooting them.

[NickSS]

The government spec was for a maximum 4moa spread for rifle. Most trapdoors I have shot will do better than this. I have occasionally fired groups as small as 1.5 moa but they were not repeatable with any degree of certainty. Most of the ones I have fired in 45-70 will shoot under 3 inches at 100 regularly and I have one 1873 rifle that will shoot 2 inch groups with certainty. These are all 10 shot groups as I do not believe you can really tell about a rifle and load with less bullets.

[oldhickory]

It doesn't seem long ago I read a magazine article dealing with these tests, "American Rifleman?" "Rifle?" or "Hand Loader." It had to be one of them as they're the only magazines I subscribe to.

[Boz330]

Thanks to all who have replied. I don't think the Sandy Hook tests are the source of the information I read but it's been a long time so I could be wrong. As I recall, the two men hired by the US Army were civilian shooters with exceptional long range skills and considered to be the top shooters of their day. I do remember being greatly impressed by 1.5 MOA accuracy all the way to 1,000 yards. That's good shooting in my book and speaks well of the rifles... not to mention the two men shooting them.

I read something similar to that as well, a LOOONG time ago. I don't remember the 1.5 MOA but do remember that I was impressed. It seemed that they were shooting well beyond a 1000yd in the test.

Bob

[Doc Highwall]

In post #3, 405 was nice enough to post the link. Do your self a favor and read it.

[doubs43]

In post #3, 405 was nice enough to post the link. Do your self a favor and read it.

I did read it which is why I said I don't think it was the same test as I had previously read about. What made you assume - incorrectly - that I hadn't?

[Doc Highwall]

doubs43, sorry I did not mean to imply that you did not read it, I was thinking in general of any body reading this thread. I would like to read the article about shooting the 45-70 and hopefully it will be posted here as where to find it.

[doubs43]

doubs43, sorry I did not mean to imply that you did not read it, I was thinking in general of any body reading this thread. I would like to read the article about shooting the 45-70 and hopefully it will be posted here as where to find it.

Thank you, Doc. I assumed - also incorrectly - that you were addressing me.

[looseprojectile]

Somewhere in my foggy, dim past I have read a story of shooters getting
8 point something inch groups at six hundred yards. I sort of remember that I thought it was done by shooters at an ammunition plant. It was in the 1880s.
Those trapdoors can shoot.
A couple of years ago I had an H&R trapdoor that could shoot one inch groups at a hundred yards. Traded it for something I had to have. You can't have em all.

Life is good

[waksupi]

They can shoot good. I remember Ken Allaman winning the thousand yard match down at the old Virginia City Montana Buffler Runners shoot many years ago.

[leadman]

I remember reading of these tests many years ago. I remember they were held on the east coast beach. There were wooden pole type target butts as various distances and they were checked to see how far the bullets penetrated.

I'll probably remember more about 3 a.m. in the morning. Strange how that happens.

I'm going to look at a trapdoor tomorrow for use in cast bullet military matches.