Guns & Ammo Trapdoor

[afret20]

Can anyone comment on the early 1873 Trapdoor rifle featured in the ID and values section of the latest Guns and Ammo magazine. I know nothing of these but would like to hear an expert's opinion. It has SN 10xx.

[Dick Hosmer]

Haven't seen that issue yet - will look for it.

FWIW, MOST guns that low are carbines. They wanted/needed to equip the cavalry with the new arm as quickly as possible.

[afret20]

137 people viewed this and none had a comment? This does not speak well for G&A circulation.

[Dick Hosmer]

For myself at least, it was 'out of sight, out of mind'.

I do not subscribe to G&A. Most arms magazines seem to be full of (a) black rifles (b) semi-auto pistols (c) new hunting rifles or (d) replicas/reissues. Since none of those items interest me particularly, I'd have had to seek it out at the news-stand. I'll try to remember - honest I will. I get TAR because I'm a member, though it is full of the same, plus a LOT of non-gun stuff (would have been (e) had I thought). Ever look through a Rifleman from the 50's? Whole different animal!

[CPC]

I concur, even though I am not sure what I am concurring to. I do not subscribe to that magazine either. I still get man at arms but my subscription to the gun list or whatever it is now called lapsed. I bought that because it had what I was looking for, used gun prices or guns for sale. I already get the NRA magazine so I don't need all the other non sense about the latest scope, black, or plastic stock rifle... what binos's to use or what type of real tree or camo shirt works best... or how I should scent lock my clothes... my old man shot more deer in the UP Michigan than most people and he hunted with a pair of pack boots, red plaid wool pants/jacket, and sat around our cabin with a wood fire smoking and playing cards all night... and that was before baiting was allowed and became popular... sorry...but rifle/gun magazines tick me off now.. I know, relax have a cup of coffee and settle down..

[jon_norstog]

I'm with you on that. Rifle usually has one or two pretty good articles in it. And year the Rifleman used to be great! The magazine and the $12 03A3s were why we all joined up as kids. Yeah, any more I'd rather read Vogue or Cosmo at the dentist's office than anything having to do with black guns

jn

[psteinmayer]

Me too... I have no use for these modern Assault and hunting weapons! I am mildly interested in handgun stuff, but that's it. I really amazes me - How did our ancestors shoot so many deer without the camo, and bait, and hi-tech stands and blinds, and scents, and game cameras, and etc...... Hunting has become a scientific harvest more than a true hunt anymore for some, and it disgusts me!

[afret20]

I agree about the disinterest in black rifles. The only reason I subscribe to G&A is Gary James. In the latest issue he made a comment about a reader's trapdoor. I just thought someone here might confirm or deny his opinions.

[Dick Hosmer]

Well, I was a good boy, remembered about this and stopped at four stores on my way home from work. No G&A.

So, here is my early 1873 rifle 12313. A four-digit gun MUST look exactly like this, or it has been upgraded, altered, whatever.

[Tom Trevor]

afret20 since no one has the magazine would you please without directly quoting him post here a general idea of what was said in the reply to the readers question? Thank you

[afret20]

Here we go.

Need history on recently inherited rifle. It is Springfield 1873 rifle (not a carbine) Complete, in very good condition. No sling, but wire sling swivels in good condition. Rifle appears to have been procuced in the white.. If had finish, it is gone. What catches my eye is the SN, 10XX. My questions are: Were these procuced in annual serial number blocks? It is dated 1873. Were the ones made in late years also dated 1873? Do I really have one of the first couple of thousand? Do you have any idea what unit it was issued to? Although the middle two numbers are hard to read, it is possible in a good light, and the first and last numbers are very sharp and clear, leading me to believe there are no missing numbers.

Mr. James' answer:

Very interesting rifle. Springfield 45-70 trapdoor serial numbers were not issued in batches but were sequential. Thus, if you are reading the number correctly, you do, in fact, have a very early example, manufactured in the first year of productioon. The fact that it is in the white is an anomaly. Model 1873s (and later models) were blued and case-hardened, so I can only assume that your rifle has lost its finish or been polished down at some time in its history. A good way to tell if it is a proper early 1873 is to check whether the breechblock has a high arch when it is opened and if the stock has a long wrist. Of course, these guns were often refurbished during their lifetimes, so the fact that it might have a later block or stock doesn't precludewit from being an early example. The "1873" designation was retained through several variations. Trapdoor blocks were not redesignated until the emergence of the Model 1884.

The reader's question has been slightly contracted but Mr. James' reply is complete.

[Dick Hosmer]

Mr. James gets an "A" - no extra points (there are additional very early features which could have been mentioned) but a solid "A" nonetheless - and, he said nothing wrong, something of a rarity. Was there a picture, or just the Q&A?

[afret20]

There was a picture but I think it was just a generic picture, not of the particular rifle in question.