New Trapdoor Owner

[mbarrad]

Hello, I just aquired a nice 1873 Trapdoor w/bayonet through a trade. It has the ramrod (which I am still figuring out how to remove) and a nuce bayonet w/scabbard. I ordered Poyers book, so I can identify the rifle better. The SN is 179856. The cartouch reads 1881 so I hope the stock matches the SN date range.

I am looking at ammo but am unsure what I should buy. Grain ranges between 300 and 405. What modern load grain is comparable to the power of black powder used? I do not want to use a hot load that will shoot me high. I will try and post some pics soon as soon as I find my ladder. Look forward to contributing to this forum.

Mike

[JimF in CT]

Mike--
First-off, what you (and most everybody else) call a "ramrod" on a breech-loader, is actually a "cleaning" rod.
Think about it . . . there is nothing to "ram" on a breech-loader, right?

I better not state what I think of ANY of Poyer's books, but . . .

According to Waite & Ernst's, "Trapdoor Springfield", your receiver was struck in the third quarter (July-Sept.) of 1882, one of 4,760 rifles made that quarter. Your stock MIGHT be a little early, but I wouldn't worry (or change it out).

I'd hold out for some "cowboy action" lead loads (Black Hills, maybe), and save your brass for later handloads.
Original rifle loads were 500 grain bullets (the 405 grainer was for the carbines). --Jim

[mbarrad]

Mike--
First-off, what you (and most everybody else) call a "ramrod" on a breech-loader, is actually a "cleaning" rod.
Think about it . . . there is nothing to "ram" on a breech-loader, right?

I better not state what I think of ANY of Poyer's books, but . . .

According to Waite & Ernst's, "Trapdoor Springfield", your receiver was struck in the third quarter (July-Sept.) of 1882, one of 4,760 rifles made that quarter. Your stock MIGHT be a little early, but I wouldn't worry (or change it out).

I'd hold out for some "cowboy action" lead loads (Black Hills, maybe), and save your brass for later handloads.
Original rifle loads were 500 grain bullets (the 405 grainer was for the carbines). --Jim

Thanks. I knew it is a cleaning rod by the slot at the tip. LOL! I called it a ramrod because everyone else called it that. :dunno:

As for Poyer's book; I went the cheap route to find basic info on this rifle. I hope to get some of the more concise books such as the one you mentioned.

Could the mismatched dates between the stock and the SN be that way, due to a restocking effort in the past?

Thanks for the info regarding the ammo. I feel better now. My local shop has tons of Black Hills ammo for around $30 per box. I may get 2 or 3 for now. Judging by the size of the bullet and load size, it must feel like shooting a roll of quarters. :lol:

[AKA Hugh Uno]

Ultra-Max also makes cowboy ammo. if neither type groups better than 4-5inches at 100 yards (and they both will usually impact 9-15 inches high, so aim low!), you can also safely use Remington Green Box jacketed ammunition in 300 or 400 grain which tends to be a bit more accurate (make sure it says "safe to shoot in all rifles in good condition on the box"). Save your brass as reloads will be a much better option down the line.

[lboos]

Mike, Still like to see those Pic,s.:beerchug:

[mbarrad]

Mike, Still like to see those Pic,s.:beerchug:

Have to wait for nicer weather.

[mbarrad]

Ultra-Max also makes cowboy ammo. if neither type groups better than 4-5inches at 100 yards (and they both will usually impact 9-15 inches high, so aim low!), you can also safely use Remington Green Box jacketed ammunition in 300 or 400 grain which tends to be a bit more accurate (make sure it says "safe to shoot in all rifles in good condition on the box"). Save your brass as reloads will be a much better option down the line.

Just picked up a couple boxes of Black Hills 405 grain. I'll take the trapdoor out on Thursday and return with a range report pending weather conditions.

[mbarrad]

Couldn't wait. Here are some quick pics I took. Enjoy!:D

[mbarrad]

Here are few more

[lboos]

Mike,
A very nice trapdoor. Great looking bayonet and scabbard also. you did good.:beerchug:

[mbarrad]

Mike,
A very nice trapdoor. Great looking bayonet and scabbard also. you did good.:beerchug:

Thanks. Not a bad trade for a Sig Sauer P6 and a GPS.:D

[sdkrag]

Very nice rifle. I prefer to use blackpowder only in my trapdoors. We cast 405 on the Wolf mold and 500 on the Rapine molds. Both of these replicate the original bullets fairly closely. I have found that fairly soft bullets (10% tin) shoot well in the shallow rifling on these arms. I know I won't blow up an old action using blackpowder. Modern brass is hard to stuff 70 grs. into. We had a re-enacting club and have shot litterely thounsands of rouns in the last 15 years. It took a lot of researh and experimenting to get those old rifles to shoot the way they should.

[John Sukey]

Removing rod. Note there is a groove in the rod that engages a stud in the stock. You have to pull down on the end of the rod to clear that stud and then pull it out.

A favourite trick of the old hands to pull on the newbies was to substitute a rifle round for the carbine round on the range. The recoil is noticeably different;)