Why did they make so many Trapdoors and Krags?
I look at serial numbers and production figures and I can never figure out why they made so darn many Trapdoors and Krags. The Army had what, 25,000 men? Does anyone know?
8 Attachment(s)
Far, far Opposite end of the Spectrum than those outstanding Trapdoors shown
Condition wise and age wise -
WOW! Those are some beautiful late trapdoors. I only know a little about them and I didn't know they went to a rod bayonet later. That's really interesting. I guess the design carried onto the first 1903 Springfield with the rod bayonet before they decided to go back to a standard bayonet. I read that Teddy Roosevelt didn't like the rod bayonet idea for the 1903
Before my father passed away several years ago he gave me this older model trapdoor that his young business partner had given to him because he didn't want it.
(I didn't even know what it was when he gave it to me)
His partner's grandfather gave it to my dad's partner years earlier and he didn't like guns so he kept it out in his garage. When he got married his yuppie wife told him she didn't want a gun in the house so he gave it to my dad, and my dad gave it to me because he knew I collected old military guns. My dad had a large collection of hunting rifles and several handguns but he didn't have any interest in military rifles. He said after having to lug a heavy Garand around in Korea he had all he wanted of them.
It was covered in grime and surface rust, and the stock was so bone dry it was splitting open. I carefully cleaned it up and put probably the first oil on it that it had seen in 30 years or more, and also soaked the poor old stock with linseed oil. The open grain closed up fairly well after a while.
It was rode hard and put up wet (literally) After the hard life it had, I figure it was more a 'relic' condition but thought it looked nice enough to display as a wall hangar. At least it has a better home than piled with shovels and rakes in some garage.
It's dated 1878, SN 188218 -
I have a collection of WWI and WWII US firearms and it was interesting to discover an earlier firearm made by Springfield than my 1903's. I only know a little about trapdoors from what I've read on the internet. Does anyone know if there's a good basic book about trapdoors that tells the history etc? I'd like to learn a little more about them just for interest, but don't need an advanced book. Down the road I'd love to get a nice one, and maybe something I could shoot. I know there's a learning curve like everything else and I like to study up before doing anything.
Thanks,
~ Harlan