1873 Trapdoor what is wrong with it although I like it

[Ben Cartwright]

Finished cleaning the chamber, the cases pop right out and are nice and smooth, no marks from the chamber.

It is shooting about 10 inches high at 50 yards with a 300 gr bullet and 15 grains of Trail Boss, I just loaded some 405 gr bullets behind 28 grains of 5744 and am expecting about 1300 fps vs. the 900 fps from the TB

If it still shoots high I will monkey with the front sight. Our club only has a 50 yard range and want to use it in the military shoots, I do have access to a 100 yard range but don't get there much.

One thing I noticed that while the barrel has the one piece sight (I picked up the Collectors Guide to the 45-70 at the gun show) this gun is a real mix of parts. With so many different parts I don't think it has any real collector value so I was thinking a building up the front sight with some JB weld once I find the load it likes the best.

[browningautorifle]

Thanks for getting back to us, so many don't. Glad the chamber worked out...hard to say what would have happened with the gunsmith you saw. He may have fiddled with it and handed it back for cash telling you he fixed it...Magic you know...I should think with a bit of adjusting your loads you can get this to shoot to point of aim. No sight fiddling needed. There'll be more to tell you about that shortly...that's exactly the kind of gun I'd like to find. Parts gun that I can shoot...

[Ben Cartwright]

It also looks great! and didn't blow up when I shot it

[vintage hunter]

IIRC the Buffington rifle sight is calibrated for 500gr round nose bullets at around 1100 fps and with the ladder down it's set for either 300 or 500 yds, can't remember which atm. With the ladder raised the lowest range setting with the triangular u-notch is 200 yds but by using the peep hole it's possible to get it on target at 100, or so I found with mine. OK for target shooting but In the end I made a taller FS from a copper penny and filed it to shoot dead on at 100 just for hunting, critters don't always allow time for flipping the ladder up.
Glad the chamber cleaned up ok without any pits.

[Claven2]

FWIW, you could get a complete lock or lock plate for cheap off e-bay if you care enough and recoup those markings.

[webfoot10]

Hi Ben Cartwright: If you are still having problems with your trapdoor, pm me and I can probability can help you out. I'm just south of you in RI and have access to a 300 yd range.
I've rebuilt a few trapdoors, let me know.
webfoot10

[Mk VII]

Somebody appears to have tried to erase the U.S. and the eagle + Springfield markings. Possibly it was put together out of parts by the surplus dealers in the era when these guns were completed with whatever parts they could get.