Trapdoor Rifles

Thank you John!

I really appreciate the information I’ve learned on this discussion board, and the information I got from Al Frasca’s Springfield.45-70 books. Dick Hosmer, and several others advice and council has been very helpful as well. What started last year with just one M1884 has grown to a nice stable of hi...

Thanks John S. I hope you also reached out to this new member to help him find a shootable rifle. I think it’s great that we have someone else who’s interested in these amazing pieces of American history and I was willing to help him out. I posted on his thread because I didn’t know if he knew where...

If you’re still looking for a solid shooter .45–70 send me a message.

This is on a M1868 with a 1869 block and serial number 3732 on the left side of the barrel and receiver. It’s vertically stamped just below the rear stock bolt, but I can’t tell if it’s ESA or SWP?

Yes, Dicks book is Very helpful for the Pre-M1873 Trapdoors!!!

I forgot to mention that this cadet style rifle has this WM inspectors cartouche on the buttstock under the buttplate, as well as the number 36. I can’t find any information on who WM may have been or which armory or commercial company he may have worked at. And here are some pictures of the number ...

I bought a cadet length / style rifle on the Bonham Skinner’s Auction site just to get its 706 three digit serial number receiver and I’m curious if anybody else has a first or second month production receiver? It has a very nice stock whose buttstock and buttplate were narrowed down to cadet size. ...

Quick way to tell if they are armory, are the threads #10, 11 or 12-26? Springfield liked 26 TPI, but it is decidedly non-standard today. Internal lock screw are #10, The lock plate through the stock screws are #11 (0.2" diameter) and the barrel tang screw is #12. Try threading one of those sc...

Sometimes addition of set trigger parts added screw holes in the trigger guard strap, but there would have been some added inletting in the wood behind it to accommodate them. Or, maybe it was for addition of some sort of spur or rest or grip to suit an individual's taste. I would bet that it was N...