Re: My First Springfield Trapdoor!
Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2024 2:43 am
Very nice trapdoor and with a history to boot.
The rifle is a bit of an oddity. I believe that it is an arsenal rebuild. If it was indeed from 1889 it would have a model 1884 stamped block. So it's a model 1873 rebuild from an unknown time period but most certainly after 1889 but undoubtedly before 1898 in order for it to have served in Cuba.
The Buffington sight didn't appear until 1884 and was one of the updates of that model. I noticed that your rifle doesn't have the correct middle band for the Buffington sight. It should have a divit on the top so the sight snaps down and locks in place on the large mounting screw.
A friend of mine has an equally strange trapdoor rifle. It's an 1873 block and action with an 1890 cartouched stock. It has the Buffington sight with correct middle band and had the useless ramrod bayonet retrofitted to it.
Myself I have a model 1888 trapdoor cartouched in 1892 so it's among the last batch ever made. SRS returned no hit. It's in excellent condition and the bore would give yours a run for the money. It shoots amazing with my handloads. I did add a raised front sight to shoot accurately at 100 yards. I recently loaded up some rounds with Hodgdon FF 777 bp substitute and can't wait to try them out.
Most of my pictures won't load as they're too large so I have to work on them.
The rifle is a bit of an oddity. I believe that it is an arsenal rebuild. If it was indeed from 1889 it would have a model 1884 stamped block. So it's a model 1873 rebuild from an unknown time period but most certainly after 1889 but undoubtedly before 1898 in order for it to have served in Cuba.
The Buffington sight didn't appear until 1884 and was one of the updates of that model. I noticed that your rifle doesn't have the correct middle band for the Buffington sight. It should have a divit on the top so the sight snaps down and locks in place on the large mounting screw.
A friend of mine has an equally strange trapdoor rifle. It's an 1873 block and action with an 1890 cartouched stock. It has the Buffington sight with correct middle band and had the useless ramrod bayonet retrofitted to it.
Myself I have a model 1888 trapdoor cartouched in 1892 so it's among the last batch ever made. SRS returned no hit. It's in excellent condition and the bore would give yours a run for the money. It shoots amazing with my handloads. I did add a raised front sight to shoot accurately at 100 yards. I recently loaded up some rounds with Hodgdon FF 777 bp substitute and can't wait to try them out.
Most of my pictures won't load as they're too large so I have to work on them.