1873 Sprinfield...

[Andy54Hawken]

Posted this picture in the "Show your guns" thread , but thought you all might like to see it here as well.
It is a 1873 "Trapdoor" Springfield Rifle and bayonet.
( Model 1879 , dated 1883 )
I need a proper sling ... But this one works for now.
The bore is bright and shiny with just a hint of freckling in a small spot in the middle.
It still shoots well out to 100 yards however.
Andy

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[Goosebrown]

Oh....

I want one...

 

[Andy54Hawken]

You should get one .... They are fun to shoot.
Plus the action is very cool!
Andy

 

[jordanka16]

Indeed they are fun, mine is the 1884 model which I prefer for a shooter since they have the buffington sights. Mine is from 1890 and is a "cadet" rifle. Has a shiny bore and is a great shooter.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Those Cadet rifles are a handy length...nice looking one you have there.
Andy

 

[orygun]

My first 45-70 was an Harrington and Richardson carbine copy. Was a lot of fun, but I wanted to "bump" up the power, so it got traded after I got a Browning copy of a Winchester 1885 (B78). There's two rifles I shouldn't have parted with...
Still, I always give any trapdoor at least a 2nd look. Very cool rifles.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Posted this picture in the "Show your guns" thread , but thought you all might like to see it here as well.
It is a 1873 "Trapdoor" Springfield Rifle and bayonet.
( Model 1879 , dated 1883 )
I need a proper sling ... But this one works for now.
The bore is bright and shiny with just a hint of freckling in a small spot in the middle.
It still shoots well out to 100 yards however.
Andy
View attachment 357116 View attachment 357117

Indeed they are fun, mine is the 1884 model which I prefer for a shooter since they have the buffington sights. Mine is from 1890 and is a "cadet" rifle. Has a shiny bore and is a great shooter.

View attachment 357204 View attachment 357205

Those are both great looking rifles! Little envious, here!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Thanks Sgt Nambu ...
Andy

 

[MrMillspecer]

Those are some very nice rifles guys. Shows that with care, and the build quality they will last many lifetimes. If they could talk. Cool

 

[Medic!]

Now before you pull that obstruction [The firing pin] and fill the hole with black powder.
You might notice there is this funny round bump thing in the back of the ammo you'll need to get around.







Nice gun Andy.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Thanks Mr. Millspecer... they built them to last back then.

Medic ... Laugh all you want ... I do at times need to remember that its a cleaning rod under the barrel , not a ram rod ...

Thanks guys!
Andy

 

[etrain16]

That is a beautiful rifle!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Thanks etrain... For the longest time it was the most modern rifle I owned...
Andy

 

[tac]

Posted this picture in the "Show your guns" thread , but thought you all might like to see it here as well.
It is a 1873 "Trapdoor" Springfield Rifle and bayonet.
( Model 1879 , dated 1883 )
I need a proper sling ... But this one works for now.
The bore is bright and shiny with just a hint of freckling in a small spot in the middle.
It still shoots well out to 100 yards however.
Andy
View attachment 357116 View attachment 357117

Andy, my pal Pete Ogden is a VERY fine maker of leather accoutrements. He makes leathery bits for his fellow-Swiss shooters on www.swissrifles.com, like moi, but he also makes leatherwork, slings et al, to your requirement. Be worth a call, methinks.

Look for him under czechmauseritis - Home
and tell him I sent you.

OTOT, you could just buy something from DGW...........

tac

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Bookmarked his page ... Thanks for the link!
He has some neat stuff , thanks tac.
Andy

 

[ageingstudent]

Oh....

I want one...

Oh...

Me too...

 

[jordanka16]

Oh...

Me too...

They're around, and one of the easiest old guns to load for and shoot, since .45-70 is still common, I use starline cases, and goex powder. Lee makes several bullet molds that work well with the sometimes generous groove diameter.

 

[orygun]

They're around, and one of the easiest old guns to load for and shoot, since .45-70 is still common, I use starline cases, and goex powder. Lee makes several bullet molds that work well with the sometimes generous groove diameter.

I used Remington cases with common 405gr cast lead bullets over 3031 in the Trapdoor. Yes it is easy to load for and a lot of fun to shoot.
Never got around to BP or Pyrodex, but certainly intended to.

 

[ageingstudent]

They're around, and one of the easiest old guns to load for and shoot, since .45-70 is still common, I use starline cases, and goex powder. Lee makes several bullet molds that work well with the sometimes generous groove diameter.

I saw one not too long ago but it was in prety rough shape.

 

[CLT65]

Beautiful old rifle!

I wanted one for many years, from when I first saw one long ago. It was in the early or mid '80s and my dad and I were visiting an old friend of my grandfather's in the Midwest. He pulled an old Trapdoor Springfield out of a closet and told us how his father had paid a couple dollars for it way back in the day (early 20th century). As I recall he said that all he'd ever shot out of it was .410 shotshells.

I never did get one, and won't be buying any guns at all for the foreseeable future. Maybe some day.