Trapdoor?

Hi folks,
I'm not really a military collector to any great extent, but have sort of wanted a 45-70 trapdoor for a while & got a decent deal on one a little while back. I'm not that interested in whether it's terribly collectible, but am curious as to what I have & thought you guys would be a good source of knowledge.
PICTURE: https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...30312JPG-1.jpg

Here's the info:
Serial number : 104921
Trapdoor marked: U.S. MODEL 1873
Sideplate: Eagle, U.S. SPRINGFIELD ...very clear & defined
Has good Buffington sight, rear barrel band indented to fit.
Barrel bands marked: U
3-click hammer
forward trigger guard plate marked: A
Trigger grooved & cross-hatched

barrel markings: https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...30282JPG-1.jpg note "T" at top edge

Ramrod (may not be orig to this rifle): https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...30292JPG-1.jpg

Someone refinished the stock at some point (thankfully not below the level of the metal components), but the cartouche, if it had one, is gone unless this is what remains of it:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...artouche-1.jpg
What should the cartouche likely be on this one?
There are also 18 "kill" marks on the stock that were partly lost in the refinish:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...30288JPG-1.jpg

Metal has little finish left..more on sideplate and action than barrel, but not much damage. Some old, light pitting in misc. areas. Stock is solid. Bore is very good. Action is fairly tight, but can be shifted slightly side to side. Has swivels & stacking swivel. Has a 1908 Rock Island Arsenal sling in good shape.

Any information or speculation you guys could offer would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Bill

Cathammer, I can't answer your question, but I have one of my own. How do you post pix on this new site?? Was okay at Jouster, but a little lost here.

Thanks in advance

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Reloader

Cathammer, I can't answer your question, but I have one of my own. How do you post pix on this new site?? Was okay at Jouster, but a little lost here.

Thanks in advance

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Hi R.
OK, I'm probably not the best source for imaging tutorials, but here's some basic info (If I'm over or underestimated your existing knowledge level, please accept my apologies). I used picasa for the above images, but I'm not really familiar with it and found it sort of awkward...maybe I'll like it better when I'm more used to it.
Flickr http://www.flickr.com/
seems easier to use to me for basic picture hosting. I noticed some people have mentioned Photobucket...haven't tried it.

In any case, all of these are free photo hosting sites. What you do is follow the website instructions on loading your pictures to the site, naming them, etc. If you didn't already crop & adjust them to the way you want them to appear in your message here, use the tools the website gives you to do that.

Once you have the set of pics you want to use for your post ready, keep that web page open and start your message for the forum in another open browser page. When you come to the point you want to insert a picture, click on the "insert image" (little yellow square with mountains) box in your tools at top of your message entry field for your post. It will open a smaller window asking for a URL. Go back to your browser page you have open at Flickr (or whatever you're using), right-click the image to want to use & then left-click select the "copy image location" choice it gives you. Go back to the window asking for the URL, right click and paste & hit OK. All you'll see in your message at this point is a string of stuff basically saying where that image is, but when you actually post (or preview), this will show up as a picture. It sounds sort of complex, but it's really just a few clicks back & forth as you'll see when you try it.

Someone else could probably give a better explanation or simpler method than I've done and there are other options such as linking to the picture or a page of pictures, etc., but I hope this helps you.

Cheers,
Bill

Bump....
Just checking to see if anyone could offer any info on the rifle yet.
Thanks

What more information do you want? You pretty much described what you have.
If the marking you posted is just to the rear and a bit below the rear lockplate screw then it is the inspectors cartouche.
With a buffington sight , it's probably a late M1879 ( they didn't change the date until 84

Cathammer,
The sr# 104921 would be between 1877-1878.
The buffington rear sight was in use from 1884 on, Probley an update.
Nice looking trapdoor from the pic. I know just enough about trapdoor's to get me in trouble. lboos.

With this site, you don't even need a photo storage site. Just go below the QUICK REPLY and click on ADVANCED. Takes a bit of time, but you get the advanced screen with bells and whistles. Go down and click on MANAGE ATTACHMENTS. This will bring up a screen that allows you to either down load direct from the picture file on your own computer or from a photo site.

To download from your computer, just click on BROWSE; your computer's files will come up and you can go to MY PICTURES and select the photo you want to post. It allows several photos. In deference to the poor folks who have dialup lines, please crop photos and try to reduce the pixel size below 100k.

Jim

Posting a pictue.

Belated thanks for the extra info, guys. I wasn't sure what to make of that serial number with the later Buffington sight. If it had a readable cartouche, would it most likely say 1879?...or...?
Not that it really matters. I'm happy with what I got for my $.
Cheers,
Bill

[IMGW]http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p155/tiriaq/IMG_2576.jpg[/IMGW]

If this works, here is a photo of the only Trapdoor I have owned. It is a E.C. Meacham conversion, fitted with a Sharps barrel in .40-65 Sharps Straight. Serial is 54** which would make it a rather early rifle. It is my understanding that these conversions were done by Meacham ca. 1882. Have yet to fire it, although I have obtained cases, and .408 bullets. Barrel slugs at .408. Missing its rear sight, but I have found a dovetail blank which fits perfectly, and plan on fitting a target sight originally intended for a Ross target rifle. Lots of W & E.

You are correct in stating that the cleaning rod is not correct for your rifle. Yours appears to be an earlier rod.

The U.S. Springfield Trapdoor Rifle Information Center