I finally bought a large caliber, long range, rapid fire, military weapon.

[Halffast]

Not what you were expecting? While it might not be the shiznit today, it was the army's first cartridge rifle and could be fired accurately 12 to 20 times per minute. A marked improvement from the muzzleloaders.



This is from the "REAL" Springfield Amory.



The sights are marked out to 1200 yards.



I shot it last weekend and this gun is shockingly accurate. Especially if you consider that it is 130 years old. They say that this is the gun that really won the west and I can now see why. I only wish that it could talk.

David

 

[armoredman]

Beautiful.

 

[AndyC]

Oh, that is nice. If only it could talk, indeed...

 

[SnakeEater]

I have a feeling she'd be none to pleased with the state of things today. She's mighty pretty.

 

[KHAN]

Awesome David! My buddy has a couple of pre-1900 Mausers that are a blast to shoot. I too wish I could hear the tales of those guns and others I have.

 

[iamkris]

I have that very same rifle. It is a 1873 Trapdoor with an 1884 cartouche. Lousy (and old) picture but it is the 2nd on the left.

That rifle hung above my parent's mantle for years. It belonged to my maternal grandfather (whom I never met but am apparently exactly like). No one knows how he got it but my mom used to tell me that he would fire it every New Year's Eve at midnight when she was a little girl (in the 40s and 50s) No one else in my family likes firearms so I've inherited it. I shoot it occasionally...it probably went 50 years between last being shot by my grandfather and the first time I took it out.

As one of only 4 guns I inherited, it will never leave my family's possession.


And...Halffast...what the heck are you doing buying guns? You should be focusing on writing more short stories, dang it!!

 

[Titan6]

That sure is a beaut. The FIL has one. He refuses to shoot it. Just takes it out once a year to clean it.

 

[kd7nqb]

she's a beauty. How hard is it to find ammo for it?

 

[MilsurpShooter]

Nice looking firearm you have there, I've got one myself with a Buffington sight on it. Old gun that was in my attic for ages lol. Still haven't gotten the nerve to reload the brass I have for it though.

Hope to see a range report soon

 

[DMK]

Wow, that's cool. It's in absolutely beautiful shape. I'll bet it cost you and arm and leg.

Weren't those converted by the Army from Muzzleloaders?

That would probably be fun to load some black powder rounds for those.

Does anyone make trapdoor repros these days?

 

[ArmedBear]

she's a beauty. How hard is it to find ammo for it?

.45-70?

 

[Gustav]

Sweet!
Alway liked those and wanted one especially a carbine version.
Nice rifle there definately a keeper.

 

[iamkris]

Weren't those converted by the Army from Muzzleloaders?

Early "Trapdoors" were just conversions starting in 1866. If I recall correctly, there were a succession of models as they made little changes...1866, 1868 and maybe one more. I believe by 1873 there were building purpose built rifles.

If anyone has one of these...DON'T shoot modern loads in it. Make sure they are low pressure loads, blackpowder of very downloaded. I shoot 36.5 gr of IMR3031 under a 405 gr LFN bullet...nice mild load. I believe this is a Mike Venturino recommended load

 

[ArmedBear]

If you don't want to roll your own, cowboy action shooting has made low-power loads readily available, even gen-u-ine black powder cartridges.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/c...ode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=cowboy+loads&noImage=0

 

[AJ Dual]

.45-70?

Yes, but BLACK POWDER .45-70. Although the popularity of CAS probably means there's a couple of suppliers for it now, and loading your own with modern components, just using BP should be relatively easy.

I've heard that there are some very slow-burning smokless powders made to replicate BP pressure-curves, but I would leave that as a project for the experienced reloader. Aside from the danger, I don't know if I could live with myself if I KB'd such a piece of history!

I've got an 1873 I inherited from my maternal grandfather in 2003 too. No idea where he got it. If it's a family heirloom or he picked it up as a collector's item or what. I also have the socket bayonet too.

I have some ancient LRN UMC black powder .45-70 loads for it in an early 1900's box that's almost completely disintegrated, but I suspect that they're valuable in of themselves.

IIRC, trapdoor's are worth about $800 to $1200 depending on condition and the variant, true?

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I thought the 405 gr loads from Winchester and Remington were considered safe in these guns. They sure are a light load for a Contender.

 

[MilsurpShooter]

There's one smokeless powder out there that's a 1-1 ratio compared to Blackpowder isn't there? 70 grains blackpowder = 70 grains of this stuff. Life of me can't remember it, guy told me about it at a gunshow....

 

[ArmedBear]

See my link above.

One is a factory GOEX black powder load; the others are smokeless "cowboy" loads.

 

[James T Thomas]

heirloom

I have one handed down from my paternal grandfather. I enjoy shooting it, but it is one of the reasons I'm going to start reloading.

Do you have the bayonet -tip for it? The combination cleaning rod and rod -bayonet; the tapered end where it is threaded is missing the pointy tip.

I've not yet begun to search for it, but if you are able, please post a picture of it extended from the rifle. The locking mechanism is ingenious.

My gradad used it for a deer rifle! As a child, I had to sway my belly forward to balance the weight when it was shouldered.

Either by 45-70, bayonet or butt stroke it is an awesome weapon.

 

[DMK]

guy told me about it at a gunshow

Famous last words.

I shot it last weekend and this gun is shockingly accurate. Especially if you consider that it is 130 years old.

Well just look at the sight radius! You're already halfway to the target at that front sight.

 

[FXR]

Halffast:

Just a beautiful rifle. Glad you're giving it a good home, and maybe someday I'll get one like it (I can dream?).

I was gonna make some lighthearthed jokes but really, levity is inappropriate in the presence of that kind of history, beauty, and craftsmanship.

Thanks for the photos and you have my everlasting envy.

 

[Eightball]

Absolutely beautiful.

 

[Gator]

I thought the 405 gr loads from Winchester and Remington were considered safe in these guns.

I thought so too, I've fired them in my trapdoor with no problems. The pressures on these factory loads are very low so they can be used in trapdoors.

 

[collateral]

that rifle is a beauty. congrats!

 

[rero360]

My girlfriend's father has one as well, the metal is in amazing condition, however the previous owner decided to give it a checkering job with a hacksaw along the forend. Its not too pretty, so hopefully I'll be getting that rifle, with along with a few of his others, down the road, and I'll put some new or just better shape wood on it.

gorgeous rifles