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View Full Version : Been awhile, and hello again!


Sportsdad60
06-03-2016, 08:09
I've modified my Trapdoor with a scope and sanded all the old bluing off. It looks really sharp now!

Okay, just kidding! :)

I have started reloading my own cartridges. For the past couple years I used Powder River low pressure loads, collected brass (They used new starline). When I had 160 pieces, I started reloading with Accurate 5744, magnum primer and Rimrock 405 bullet, identical to that of the Powder River except for the bullet type.

I will experiment with black powder one day as some of the purists say this is the only way to load for these old rifles but for now, 1280 fps is fine with the low pressure loads.

I've had great success with 100 rds of this recently at the range but only after swapping out the front site for a custom sight.
Being limited to 100 yards shooting at the range , I had a friend use an EDM wire feed machine and mill 3 sights in various heights out of stainless steel.
The .304 sight worked the best for my particular trapdoor (1883 cartouche, 1879 improvements)

Enjoy some random photos and my annealing process for the casings (sorry about the dress shirt, I had just got off work and was heading out the door to our 26th wedding anniversary dinner!)

Annealing brass:
https://vimeo.com/169175518

Shooting first reloads
https://vimeo.com/165723546

Some random photos:

https://photos.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/i-3fW7j3v/0/O/i-3fW7j3v.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/i-gdGc8w4/1/X2/i-gdGc8w4-X2.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/i-W5nbTVX/0/X2/i-W5nbTVX-X2.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/i-m6zqTkb/0/O/i-m6zqTkb.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/i-gqWC7B2/1/X2/i-gqWC7B2-X2.jpg
https://photos.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/i-5G4FH3D/0/O/i-5G4FH3D.jpg
Sportsdad60
06-03-2016, 08:17
A few more, this photo directly below is my 17 year old son nailing it at 100 yards with the new front sight. We sure do enjoy this old girl. It's a pleasure to shoot!

https://photos.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/i-xSzXnQ2/0/O/i-xSzXnQ2.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/i-SjVPLjC/0/O/i-SjVPLjC.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/i-VPFkR4D/0/O/i-VPFkR4D.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/i-8BNF3d4/0/X2/i-8BNF3d4-X2.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/i-zDfPGpL/0/O/i-zDfPGpL.jpg
PhillipM
06-03-2016, 09:29
What a beautiful rifle!
Fred
06-04-2016, 06:36
Yep, that IS a nice looking rifle.
Sportsdad60
06-04-2016, 07:24
Thanks fellas. Here is a ton of pictures of said rifle--> https://sportsdad60.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/

The previous owner (now deceased) bought it from a Tacoma Mil Surplus store in 1952 when he returned from the Korean War. Prior to that, it was locked up in the Oregon National Guard lockers apparently from the 1890's through 1950's. No clue was how it spent it's first 10 or so years.

The previous owner unprofessionally blued the barrel but other than that it remained untouched. He did shoot it along with an Northwest Trade gun-Flintlock, that I recently sold for his wife on Rock Island Auction.
The previous owner also put a 1903A3 front sight on it (you'll see it pictured and a few of you fellows answered my questions about this last year or two), whic was way too tall for the 100 yards I'm shooting at. Thus the custom .304 height front gun sight, stainless, that I am using now.
John Sukey
06-27-2016, 04:48
Why not 500gr bullets? 405gr is a carbine load.
When new recruits were assigned to the cavalry, the old timers used to have fun giving them a rifle round for their first shot on the range!
Once had 30 trapdoors before I contracted Enfielditis! Down to one rod bayonet trapdoor now
John Sukey
06-27-2016, 04:54
By the way, your trapdoor is a real beauty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sportsdad60
07-02-2016, 08:33
Why not 500gr bullets? 405gr is a carbine load.
When new recruits were assigned to the cavalry, the old timers used to have fun giving them a rifle round for their first shot on the range!
Once had 30 trapdoors before I contracted Enfielditis! Down to one rod bayonet trapdoor now

I'm shooting primarily on a 100 yard range. The 405 is best suited for this type of plinking.
I plan to get some 500 gr for the next batch of 200 in the future. Our gun range at the club has a separate 260 yard range and I think the 500 gr bullets will really shine there!