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Trapdoor followed me home!


DeaconKC

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Well, traded for a Trapdoor today, made in 1875 and has been cut, so no collector value. .45-70 and I will need to get a new front sight on it. Gonna need to learn BP loading as I am not gonna run smokeless in it. Suggestions for a little milder load for long range shooting.

trapdoor1.jpg

trapdoor2.jpg

trapdoor3.jpg

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I have a carbine. Made in 1874. I shoot a full case of APP with a 405 grn Bullet. I’ve tried lighter loads, but they were all over the place. I use it for plainsman matches. Fun to shoot an older gun like that, wondering where all it had been. 
 

I read somewhere that the troops issued  trapdoors were only allowed 20 practice rounds a year. Most of these old HBBs have not been shot a lot. 

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For a carbine I use 45 gr Goex FFg, card wad, Crean of wheat, lubed felt wad, and a 405 gr RNFP (I use it also in my Marlin).  For the trapdoor I load as long as I can.  The Marlin is loaded to the longest that will cycle through the action.  My trapdoor rifle made in 1884 gets the max amount of Goex FFFg or Swiss 1 1/2, I liberate the case, over powder card, felt lubed wad (favorite black lube), and a lymen 535 gr bullet.  Rifle round will hit at a 1000 yards.

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that looks a fun one to me , enjoy your purchase , i liked my 1888 rod bayonet rifle a lot but divested with the US longarm collection years ago , these are fun to shoot 

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What does "liberate the case" mean? 

   I just load a full case with ffg and use a bullet that holds lots of lube. I have a hollow base mould also but haven't tried any of the bullets yet to see if they work better.

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I've been using 5744 in mine with great results. For Plainsman, I use a Handi Rifle with 40 grains BP and a deep seated 405 - VERY accurate, but I've never tried it in the Trapdoor.

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Are you sure it's been cut and is not a real carbine?

I have a 73 carbine that I was told was a cut down rifle because it does not have a saddle ring.  Between that and the fact that it had been reblued to make it very pretty, I got it for a very good price.

That being said, I really wonder if mine might by a real carbine.  First of all, if it is cut, it was very well done.  I can see none of the usual signs of alteration, and I have read that not all of the carbines had a saddle ring.

That being said, I'm willing to concede that mine is probably a mod, but I am curious about the possibility of it being "authentic."  Maybe you have one as well.

I feed mine a 405 grain bullet in front of a charge of Trailboss.   This gives me good accuracy and recoil is less than a shotgun and only slightly more than a main match rifle.

Good luck with it.

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It looks like it has been cut and just has a shotgun bead for a front sight. Even Bannerman's had good sights on them. Debating on a band sight like on the earliest Mausers for it. I also scored a Lee Loader and 80 once fired cases for it this morning. Do you folks with Trapdoors use Trail Boss with out problems, this was recommended this AM to me. I just don't want to overload this old warhorse.

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That's good to know on the TB. I have that in the locker, looks like I have found LRPs, now hoping @Scarlett can help me out on boolits

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22 hours ago, DeaconKC said:

Well, traded for a Trapdoor today, made in 1875 and has been cut, so no collector value. .45-70 and I will need to get a new front sight on it. Gonna need to learn BP loading as I am not gonna run smokeless in it. Suggestions for a little milder load for long range shooting.

trapdoor1.jpg

trapdoor2.jpg

trapdoor3.jpg

Look at the rear sight, if it is stamped with a 'R' it is most likely a cut down rifle. If It has a 'C', may be an original carbine.

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2 hours ago, Jeb Stuart #65654 said:

Look at the rear sight, if it is stamped with a 'R' it is most likely a cut down rifle. If It has a 'C', may be an original carbine.

 

trapdoor sights.jpg

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Well, I looked it over more closely and it has all 1873 stamps. The stock has the proper cartouches with the rear sight having the R on it. It is currently sporting a shotgun bead for the front sight. I am going to proceed an a cleanup VERY tenderly as the stock is still very solid, no oil weakening apparent at all. The Inspector's cartouche is very clean, while the lower one is faint, so these will have to be watched carefully while cleaning, then some BLO love. S I will either have to follow @PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L's advice and have a dovetail cut up front for a new sight, or if I can find some pics of sportered rifles from them for ideas. [anybody got a pic of a rifle from back then with a barrel band front sight?]

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I been using 45 grs. of 3F black powder and 15 grs. cream of wheat with a lubed 405 gr bullet since the mid 1980's. It's a great load for shooting up to 125 yards.

 

Nawlins.

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An easy way to reduce the BP charge in your rifle for plinking is to do like TFJ did and seat the bullets deeper. 

 

I would definitely slug the bore. Undersized bullets will lead to poor accuracy and leading.

 

Some trapdoors are picky about bullet weights and velocity. This is an area where you'll have to experiment and see what your rifle likes.

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I have two 45/70's , One full length rifle and one with a cut barrel. I like the short one best. It has a C on the rear sight but I think the rifle  started life as a long rifle  It did not have a front sight. I remembered an old article where they took a piece of Coat hanger wire and wrapped it around  the barrel tight and left it standing to use for a front sight to get an idea of how high the front sight should be. I know, some of you are getting a big laugh out of this but it works. I ended up with a sight that stands almost one half inch high If you buy an original Trapdoor sight it will probably be way too short.

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