What is the last gun that you bought?

I won this reproduction H&R 1875 Officers Trapdoor last Saturday in a two-day online auction. H&R produced these models through the 1970s and maybe into the 1980s and they come up quite often on Gunbroker and the like ranging from $700 to $1200 based on condition. This one was listed as "new in box" with all paperwork and I got it for much less than the lowest normal online price.

Springfield originally only produced around 470 of these fancy models out of a total of over 630,000 of the standard muskets and carbines made during the 20 year period that the trapdoors were in production. This is a fair copy of the 1st of three versions of this special model that was produced by the Springfield armory. They were intended for private purchase by officers and any other military personnel who could afford the price. Currently, the original officer's models start in the $10k range and can go up to $25,000, so unless I win the lottery, this will be the best I can do.


In addition to the engraving and tang aperture sight, the originals came with a single set trigger, a Beach combination folding globe front sight and a standard rear rifle ladder sight. H&R chose to only replicate the tang sight and put a blade sight on the front. The engraving is also probably roll engraving or cast in but it still looks quite nice.

I plan to add a reproduction globe front sight that Pedersoli makes and have already found an original 1873 rear sight to personalize this and make it just a bit more authentic.

These pictures are from the auction since I probably won't have this in hand for a week or two.

The original box shows its age, but the rifle looks untouched. There is also an oval brass commemorative plaque that one could attach to the stock with brass screws. Thankfully that was never done.
fYN8nrQ.png

Reverse side
mCWBBnf.jpg

Close up of the receiver and breech block
KL05saX.jpg

Lastly, a shot from the lockplate side
lfC963d.jpg

Cheers
 
Last edited:
With the modern steel alloys, metallurgy, and heat treat methods that are all available today, as opposed to when the first Trapdoor Springfield's were built during and around the Civil War. I wonder how much more pressure the design itself can endure?

I know they can't take what a falling block, or even a modern lever gun like a Marlin can. But I would think with modern steels and much more precise manufacturing methods and machines available today, they can tolerate a bit more chamber pressure.

Also, the modern powders that are available today should also help improve the guns performance.
 
With the modern steel alloys, metallurgy, and heat treat methods that are all available today, as opposed to when the first Trapdoor Springfield's were built during and around the Civil War. I wonder how much more pressure the design itself can endure?

I know they can't take what a falling block or even a modern lever gun like a Marlin can. But I would think with modern steels and much more precise manufacturing methods and machines available today, they can tolerate a bit more chamber pressure.

Also, the modern powders that are available today should also help improve the guns performance.

The .45-70 caliber became the US standard rifle cartridge when introduced in 1873 with the new trapdoor model of the same designation. The action on this model was beefed up a bit over the previous conversion models in 50-70 made from the end of the ACW to just prior to the intro of the new caliber. Of course the modern made H&R repros using modern steels are even stronger. I reload and there is plenty of load data for using both black powder and smokeless rounds out there to load safely for either an original or a reproduction trapdoor. One just has to avoid those hot loads and jacketed bullets designed for stronger actions. I have an original musket made in 1879 and the only commercial ammo I have shot in it is the Black Hills brand. Black Hills brand caters to the CAS crowd, so their 45-70 ammo uses only non-jacketed soft lead bullets and even though it's loaded with smokeless, their 45-70's are only rated at 1250 FPS, which is entirely safe for original trapdoors that only shot black powder back in the day. My reloads will pretty much duplicate this.

Cheers
 
45-70 with cast lead bullet at 1250 +/- fps will completely punch through a standing Buffalo at 165 yards away.
Well, that may be the reason the 45-70 was and still is so popular for such game, but remember that's muzzle velocity, which would drop substantially at 150 yards. The 45-70 is not exactly a flat shooter.

Still, the original US Gov black powder 45-70 issue cartridge shooting a 405-grain cast bullet over 70 grains of black had a muzzle velocity of 1200 FPS back in the day.

With the advent of smokeless, there is the ability to load rounds that are just to hot for the trapdoor actions--even the modern repops---stuff that stronger actions such as the Sharps, Winchester 1886 or the Marlin guide guns can handle--just not the trapdoors. The leverevolution 45-70's with a 325-grain bullet are rated at 2050 fps at the muzzle only dropping to 1450 at 200 yds.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/45-70-government-325-gr-ftx-leverevolution#!/#specs

The point is that one simply would not want to subject the trapdoor action to those pressures.

Cheers
 
Last edited:
Another Sig P6, 1980 date. "M433 ***". Had to search a while to find the proof "house" because it's not in the tables/charts.

Two unique proof houses were used only for guns issued to federal border or federal undercover police (Kriminal--).
 
Last edited:
Vintage 1980's Taurus model 66. Excellent condition. Can't find a mark on the beautiful deep blueing and the Brazilian wood grips look like new. Hard to get a pic of the blue color after I polished it. Almost looks stainless from my lighting. I called taurus and they said they couldn't give me an exact year but it was made between 1975 and 1984.
20191215_140925.jpg
Heres a before pic from the guy I got it from. Different lighting.
IMG_05811.jpg
 
Last edited:
Back
Top