H&R Trapdoor

[jobu07]

Good morning all. A few days ago I happened across a H&R repro of an 1873 Trapdoor carbine for an agreeable price. My understanding is H&R made a small run of these in the 1970's in a few different trim levels and as a saddle ring carbine and slightly longer "officer's model."

Aside from a few stock compressions the rifle is in excellent condition with a nice deep rich blue. The bore looks possibly unfired, as unlikely as that is the story is it was a wall hangar and the same for the owner before him.

I'm sure the answer is cost, but the rear sight looks more at home on a 10/22 instead of striking a nostalgic feel of an original 1873 Buffington or rifle/carbine sight. I guess we can't have it all.

All said and done, I am quite pleased and this gives me a nice shooter example of a carbine for a fraction of the price and will go nicely with my 1873 Infantry Rifle and Cadet Rifle.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Very nice! I always kinda wondered if H&R actually made those or just rebranded an Italian repro- never researched it. Either way, looks like alot of fun!

 

[StrawHat]

I don’t believe the Italian replicas were being made at that time.

Kevin

 

[792mauser]

Very nice.

 

[Armybrat]

Nice find. Those are beautiful carbines.

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

Very nice catch Sir. And yes, that is not the style of rear sight that they would have had.
I own a Uberti version that came with the original style and that kinda sucked to shoot with...

 

[dave951]

Now to load up some lead boolits and black powder!!

 

[Jim Watson]

There is a legend that Pedersoli got the HR tooling and plans.

 

[.455_Hunter]

There is a legend that Pedersoli got the HR tooling and plans.

... and the H&R got the long forgotten tooling from Springfield Armory.

 

[troy fairweather]

They are a fine gun, wish I still had mine and the half dozen my dad had.

 

[jobu07]

Thought I would show it with it's brothers and that one weird distant cousin...

The Infantry Rifle rear sight and the Cadet Carbine "battle computer."
And some fine looking lumber.

 

[Iggy]

Some of you have probably seen this one.. When my Grandparents came to Wyoming at the turn of the last century to homestead. My Grand dad got a model 1879 Trapdoor rifle from Bannerman's for $7.50 before they moved. He didn't know if there were still Indians about in Wyoming or not. He fired it once and put it in the saddle room in the barn where it remained uncleaned and unloved for 47 years.

When they abandoned the place in 1947 and moved to town, my Dad and I were going through what was left. I found the Trapdoor. It was in terrible shape, but my Dad said I was too young to be fooling with a gun and put it in the back of a closet at home.
It remained there until I returned to the ranch in 1979 and found it in the closet. It was a disaster. A 100 years after it was built, I decided to see if I could bring it back to life.



I discarded the weathered stock and rusted barrel and bought an unfired surplus rifle barrel. I got an unfinished stock from Rhinehart-Fajen and went to work. The receiver is pillar mounted. The barrel was shortened and floated and a new front sight installed. I replaced the rusted solid Buffington rear sight with the appropriate 79 version, and added the tang sight.
I removed the sling swivel from the trigger guard and reversed it so I could bend it to conform with the pistol grip and added a Niedner butt plate and pistol grip cap.


This is the result. A poor man's Officer's Model.
With a paper patch bullet and a duplex load of modern and black powder, it's quite a shooter.
I have taken Elk, Mule Deer, Antelope and numerous varmints with it. It has become my favorite rifle.

 

[StrawHat]

...This is the result. A poor man's Officer's Model.
With a paper patch bullet and a duplex load of modern and black powder, it's quite a shooter.
I have taken Elk, Mule Deer, Antelope and numerous varmints with it. It has become my favorite rifle...

There is a good reason why it has become a favorite, you did a fine job!!


Kevin

 

[StrawHat]

This, like Iggy’s before me, is not your Grandfather’s Trapdoor. Mine started out as a barreled action I found in my Father’s garage after he had passed. Pop was not a “project” builder so I have no idea why it was there. When I got it home, I thought the muzzle was a bit large and tigured the years of cleaning from the muzzle must have taken a toll. I grabbed a 45 ACP round to see how bad the damage was. Imagine my surprise when the cartridge entered the bore and dropped through to the breech! Not a 45-70 but a 50-70 as confirmed by the date on the breechblock, 1866.
I wanted to restore it to its original glory. A visit to Al Frasca got me more information than I imagined possible. Yes, the barrel and breech were from an 1866 Springfield but the additional marks indicated it had visited Bannerman’s Island and been shortened. Since the majority f those Bannerman rifles were sold overseas it is a mystery how this one remained or was returned to the US. But restoring it to original condition would be expensive. It sat in my garage fr a few years until my best friend saw it. I explained what it was and how my hopes of restoration were restrained by my wallet. He asked if I remembered how the original 1866 came to be made. Yep, they converted 1861 Springfields was my reply. He commented that the Italian’s were making good copies of the 1861 and I should find one of them. Good idea but finding one that was affordable was another problem. One day at the LGS, my enabler says “Have I got a deal for you!” This usually involves a POS wrapped in aluminum foil and pric d as if it were silverplated, but that day he hands me an Italian replica of the Model 1841, Mississippi Rifle. A good looking of rifle but the barrel is rusted for about 12” near the muzzle. “All it needs is a new barrel” he says. For less than a box of 45’s, it goes home with me. I pull the bark el and find the 1866 barrel is smaller in diameter. I grab my chisels and inlet the breech into the stock. Once that fits, I glass bed the barrel into the stock. The sights are gone so I goto the Log Cabin in Lodi Ohio, and buy front and rear sights. I solder these in place. I load some ammunition and off to the range with my rifle, hand loads and a file. Long story short (I know...too late) I get it sighted in.

Anyway, here is a photo of my 1841 Trapdoor or my Mississippi Trapdoor.



Kevin

 

[Iggy]

That's finer than frog's hair. Well done.

 

[792mauser]

Well done!

 

[Armybrat]

Awesome!
That sure is going to baffle some collectors in the next century.

 

[bannockburn]

Iggy and Kevin

Two great saves gentlemen1 Excellent job with the two Trapdoors! Thanks for sharing!

 

[StrawHat]

Thank you.

Iggy’s took a lot more work than mine. I let the Italians (Zoli?) do most of the heavy lifting. All I did was the fine tuning.


Kevin

 

[jobu07]

Some awesome looking trapdoors floating around on here.

 

[Glen]

Good morning all. A few days ago I happened across a H&R repro of an 1873 Trapdoor carbine for an agreeable price. My understanding is H&R made a small run of these in the 1970's in a few different trim levels and as a saddle ring carbine and slightly longer "officer's model."

Aside from a few stock compressions the rifle is in excellent condition with a nice deep rich blue. The bore looks possibly unfired, as unlikely as that is the story is it was a wall hangar and the same for the owner before him.

I'm sure the answer is cost, but the rear sight looks more at home on a 10/22 instead of striking a nostalgic feel of an original 1873 Buffington or rifle/carbine sight. I guess we can't have it all.

All said and done, I am quite pleased and this gives me a nice shooter example of a carbine for a fraction of the price and will go nicely with my 1873 Infantry Rifle and Cadet Rifle.

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I have wanted one of these for about 50 years but somehow missed getting one. I wouldn't care who made it as long as it safely went bang! I consider you to be a lucky man.