Collection of compromise trapdoor.

[Alasgun]

Been a while since ive done anything here, so im showing my “collection of compromise” project, if anyone’s interested.

G.M #3barrel, chambered 40-65 win, receiver dated 1891, block 1873, trigger plate, cam latch, hinge and extractor are the best i could find and in very fine condition. Assembled the lock up and overall tightness of the action is impressive.

I have a grade #7 piece of Maple and a number of the lesser parts i have or will make myself. This past week i finished the buttplate, front sight, reamed the chamber and cut the extractor slot, cut the barrel to length and crowned the muzzle. The rear sight is a repro from a Smith carbine, from Lockwoods!

The style was inspired by Freund, Gemmer and Gove; with some of my own creativity and an eye for subtile technology the Masters would have used had it been available in their time? Well, maybe

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Looks like you've got your work cut out for you ! Should turn out to be a very nice rifle. I like the concept, and the stock design. Maple is always a good choice, so many interesting grain patterns. Good luck with this--keep the photos coming as you progress.

DG

[Nueces]

Lovely! Nice caliber choice, too. I have the bits to make similar, but intend use of a Lyman windgauge tang sight, as produced for the Savage 99. My prototype is the one pictured in Clyde Baker's 'Modern Gunsmithing,' which is a sporter. I am interested to follow your progress.

In my case, 'intend' is as likely as it'll ever get. What the heck, though, I may be younger next year.

[Green Frog]

Cool! Will it be a "Frankendoor" or a "Trapstein" when it's done? I've always thought that custom Trapdoor projects were just too cool for school! Be sure to post in-progress pictures. You know how much we love pictures here.

Froggie

[Alasgun]

With a little time to spare, i got going on the stock work today. The vertical mill is no pantograph but does real nice work (no more of this than i do nowdays). Utilizing the digital read out all the important stuff is easily accomplished and much faster than doing it by hand. A selection of corner rounding mills and fly cutters will get the outside close as well.

Tomorrow i’ll take after it with scrapers / chisels etc and should have the barreled action inlet by this time tomorrow.

[M-Tecs]

Very nice, I have the parts to do a Gemmer TD but that project is a ways down on my project list. Thanks of the pics and keep us posted on your progress.

[Alasgun]

Im happy with the inlet so far. Currently im waiting for some bedding compound to show up. I always like to do the bedding in stages and will bed the barreled action before moving on to the side lock then trigger. Once the lock is inlet i have several hours of rasping to slim the wood but right now i need those large flat surfaces. More than likely i’ll be shelving this in another week or so as it’s time to get garden starts going. When i get back after it i’ll post more.

[armoredman]

Sweet project.

[Baltimoreed]

Looks terrific. Keep us posted.

[dverna]

I enjoy seeing something like this.

[skeettx]

Well done
Great progress
Thank you for sharing this with us
Mike

[Alasgun]

Having never used the Probed 2000 products i was a little skeptical! Stuff is as thick as old peanut butter and what’s this “buffered wax release agent”?
So after bedding the barrel channel i worry warted it all evening and this morning hurried out to the shop to face the music!
It’s the best bedding job i’ve ever done with only one small void and a very uniform finish. And it popped out with out any resistance.

Today i inlet the lock plate and got it bedded as well but won’t be too concerned about removing it tomorrow.

I also like how clean everything came out, none of the blue flashing stuck here and there as was common with the acraglass gel.

[Alasgun]

Today the lock components were inlet and the thru holes drilled for lock bolts. Tomorrow i’ll poke a hole thru from the bottom to exercise the sear and check for function.
Probably peal some more “bark” off the thing too before moving on to the trigger inletting; which im undecided on at this point. I’ll either severely modify an original trigger/guard or completely build a new assembly, which will give a better look.

[TNsailorman]

You have me looking forward to your progress like a saturday matinee. Thaks for sharing your knowledge and expertise as well as the great pictures. james

[bedbugbilly]

That is great! Like James above - I'm looking forward to seeing the progress! Thank you for sharing!

[Alasgun]

Sear function is fine so im moving on to the trigger. I really like the feel of the Springfield trigger against my finger and decided to modify the original to something more stylish. In this first picture you see the original along with an english sporting guard that’s being grafted onto it.

By the end of the day i have the trigger plate modified to accept the new bow which you can see in the 2nd picture. The front was pretty straight forward and now it’s time to break out the torch & hammer to reshape the rear end of that bow for a good match up.

Previously the tang bolt went thru tying the upper tang and trigger assembly together. The threaded hole in the guard was in the right place but at a very bad angle so i corrected that; enlarging that hole to accept the english bow and will just use screws from the bottom of the trigger assembly to attach it to the stock.
Up on top i’ll make a threaded stock insert and epoxy it in place. Then cut down the original tang bolt and rethread it to match the insert and still have a good rear attachment point.


Thanks for the kind words folks!

[Cosmic_Charlie]

A labor of love for sure!

[Alasgun]

The “grafting” is now complete but a lot of cosmetic blending and a rear screw hole still has to happen.
Once that’s complete and it’s inlet i can get serious about the final wood shaping.

[Alasgun]

Today was a good day with the trigger group being inlet and bedded. While waiting for glue to dry i moved on to some small components; that i had to machine.


First was the stock insert that will be epoxied into the wrist along with the original tang bolt cut off and rethreaded to match the insert.
.

Im impressed with the steel quality in that over 100 year old tang bolt. It would have been much simpler to use a 12/28 machine screw but this way i’ve still got the exact look of the original tang. There will be a pair of attachment points on the forearm as well; so everything will be plenty strong.

[Alasgun]

In case anyone is interested, the 12/28 tang bolt was single pointed.