Trapdoor Springfield movie gun

[marlinman93]

Easiest project I've ever finished up! After getting about 5 coats of WOP on the wood, I decided to stop before it got shiny. It will come up slightly more after it cures for a week, and I wax and buff it. But I like the satin look for a Trapdoor.
Used Mark Lee Express rust bluing, and worked all day getting it blued. I fought the rear sight, and then remembered it's likely too hard, and wont take rust bluing. Came up a little darker, but not dark enough. It will need to be nitre blued, or hot blued, so I'll get that done later. Lock plate was a little better, but also not quite as dark. I can live with it as it is. I didn't blue the barrel bands, or sling swivels as they were pretty darn good as is.

[HWooldridge]

Very nice job. Let us see how she shoots now…

[fatelk]

Beautiful!

[marlinman93]

Very nice job. Let us see how she shoots now…

Need to find another mold. You'd think with about 70 molds I'd have a .459" mold, but all my other .45-70's use a .457" with no problems. So mold, and load ammo, and shoot if we ever get rid of this snow!

[Rusty Goose]

Very nice!

[ulav8r]

Very nice, looks good as new even if color and shine is not same as original.

[Beerd]

Very Nice! But I have to ask, what is WOP?
..

[marlinman93]

Very Nice! But I have to ask, what is WOP?
..

Sorry. Thought I mentioned it previously? It's Minn Wax Wipe On Poly. WOP gives a hand rubbed oil appearance with enough coats, and seals the wood better than anything I've ever used. Since it's extremely thin, it takes a number of coats to build to a nice sheen, but it's just wiped on with a rag, and then excess wiped off after a few minutes. So you can stop when it reaches the amount of sheen you want.

[HWooldridge]

I got started using tung oil about 40 years ago and still use it for stock sealing, but I'm also sure there are better products on the market these days.

[marlinman93]

I got started using tung oil about 40 years ago and still use it for stock sealing, but I'm also sure there are better products on the market these days.

Many years ago Guild gunsmith Steve Durren posted a Rolling Block build series in the ASSRA Journal, and he was using Laurel Mountain Permalyn Sealer to finish his stocks. I was just finishing a restock of a Ballard rifle, and figured if he was using it, then I'd give it a try. Back then an 12 oz. can of Laurel Mountain was $20 at Brownells, so not cheap in the late 80's. But it did produce wonderful finishes.
When I used the can up, I checked at Brownells again, and the price was even higher, so I went searching for a cheaper alternative. I discovered Minn Wax WOP, and from all I could find it was the same product makeup for 1/3rd the price. And a lot of local hardware stores carried it, so it was quick to buy, and easy. That's been about 35 years ago, and who knows how many cans of it now?
The nice thing about both products is if you get a ding or scratch, it's easy to repair without totally refinishing the wood. The other is it goes over almost every existing finish I've applied it to. Other finishes require extreme measures to ensure that when they're applied there's no residual finish left on the stocks, or it wont dry and remains sticky. WOP never has that issue, so I don't have to be as anal about old stock refinishing.

[Green Frog]

Great find Vall, and doubly or even “triply” significant as a historical rifle, owned by a movie studio, then owned and worked on by your late friend. Well worth the work you will do to complete its resurrection!

An interesting tale I’ve heard is that those old trapdoors with their bayonets were used for years in movies to arm large numbers of extras to make up military units, seen at sufficient distance to hide details, portraying soldiers all the way from the American Revolution through the Civil War. Just think, that rifle was probably at Yorktown, or the Alamo, or Gettysburg, perhaps all three!

Your Friend the Frog

[M-Tecs]

Many years ago Guild gunsmith Steve Durren posted a Rolling Block build series in the ASSRA Journal, and he was using Laurel Mountain Permalyn Sealer to finish his stocks. I was just finishing a restock of a Ballard rifle, and figured if he was using it, then I'd give it a try. Back then an 12 oz. can of Laurel Mountain was $20 at Brownells, so not cheap in the late 80's. But it did produce wonderful finishes.
When I used the can up, I checked at Brownells again, and the price was even higher, so I went searching for a cheaper alternative. I discovered Minn Wax WOP, and from all I could find it was the same product makeup for 1/3rd the price. And a lot of local hardware stores carried it, so it was quick to buy, and easy. That's been about 35 years ago, and who knows how many cans of it now?
The nice thing about both products is if you get a ding or scratch, it's easy to repair without totally refinishing the wood. The other is it goes over almost every existing finish I've applied it to. Other finishes require extreme measures to ensure that when they're applied there's no residual finish left on the stocks, or it wont dry and remains sticky. WOP never has that issue, so I don't have to be as anal about old stock refinishing.

Thanks for info on WOP.

[JSnover]

Gorgeous!
And you probably knew already; Those Hollywood Trapdoors will shoot six or seven rounds without reloading.

[marlinman93]

The guy on Forgotten Weapons on Youtube did a video on one of the Trapdoor Springfields my friend Mike Carrick has in his collection. Mike's has had a brass "flintlock" hammer installed, and a brass side mounted "spring" for the frizzen. Making it into a flintlock for some movie that predates the percussion cap era. This was filmed at Mike's place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0lO...rgottenWeapons

[missionary5155]

Our 1st Trapdoor has a chamber / breach that will receive a .464 cast 40-1. 40 Years back NEI to the rescue.

[marlinman93]

Our 1st Trapdoor has a chamber / breach that will receive a .464 cast 40-1. 40 Years back NEI to the rescue.

If Walt hadn't passed away, and the operation moved away, he was only 25 miles from me, and the first place I went anytime I needed a new mold.