View Full Version : Did I do good??
This rifle may not be prefect but since it's a rare one I'll just have to settle. Seems like the ones I'm not looking for pop up and that pesky 1870 type I is still hiding SOMEWHERE!!
Soooo, was this a good price?
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/917332389
Lead Snowstorm
11-29-2021, 03:32
Awesome, please post your own pics when it arrives - especially that bayonet!
Will do! It will be a while though, have to send them a check then wait for it to arrive at my FFL for transfer which could take a couple days. I live in NJ so yes I need permission to bring it home : (
I also found a bayonet for my 1869 cadet. That should be here in a couple days and will be posting a few pictures.
Dick Hosmer
11-30-2021, 08:40
This rifle may not be prefect but since it's a rare one I'll just have to settle. Seems like the ones I'm not looking for pop up and that pesky 1870 type I is still hiding SOMEWHERE!!
Soooo, was this a good price?
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/917332389
"Did I do good" and "Soooo, was this a good price?" are tied for the 2021 "Most Disingenuous Statement Award"!!!!!
Carl, you f*****g STOLE it!!!!!
Fact that it was poorly described probably helped - the casual looky-lous stopped at "1888". You had the good sense to keep reading and, most of all review, the pics! I almost NEVER read the GB sales texts, but just hit the pics, which tell 99.9% of the story anyhow!
I put the number (it's not listed in SRS) into my working ms.
Great find - happy for you!!
LOL!!! That’s funny Dick. I Didn’t intend to steal it as I asked him if he had a buy now in mind and he posted it. His offer so I jumped on it. I always look at the pictures first then read the bad description. The front sight should have been quite obvious to what it actually was, not you’re everyday 88 : )
Now it’s the wait that’s going to kill me! Sent a check out today which won’t get there until Saturday so that means I most likely won’t see it until the end of next week.
That’s twice now I’ve gotten lucky on GB, this 84 and the trials 88. My rod bayonet collection is just about complete.
Thanks Dick
Dick Hosmer
11-30-2021, 07:39
I've gotten lucky on GB too. Got two of the 100 special-length BoOF Krags from vendors who thought their guns were wrong, one for $350 (with a whacked stock) and $750 (in a carbine stock). It pays to pay attention, and to know more about the item than the seller does (as you did).
I think the seller had an idea what is was but not quite sure??? He did state that he thought it was one of the 600 made in 1886. According to the serial number and Al’s chart it was made in 1885. I normally check GB for 1870’s and sometimes rod bayonets. Seems lately that TD’s have had a lot more activity than in the recent past. With that being said I was however surprised that there wasn’t at least one bid on it. Lucky for me though there wasn’t :banana100:
Dick Hosmer
12-01-2021, 08:56
I think the seller had an idea what is was but not quite sure??? He did state that he thought it was one of the 600 made in 1886. According to the serial number and Al’s chart it was made in 1885. I normally check GB for 1870’s and sometimes rod bayonets. Seems lately that TD’s have had a lot more activity than in the recent past. With that being said I was however surprised that there wasn’t at least one bid on it. Lucky for me though there wasn’t :banana100:
Yes, luck can play a LARGE part sometimes!
Wow!
Thanks for sharing that!
Your welcome Fred. I seen another one yesterday at the Allentown show. It was priced much higher with a large chip in the stock.
Priced at 5,500.00.
What do you figure the sling alone would be worth? Certainly looks like the correct period sling. You did really good!
Andy
Probably $150.00 to $200.00
Thanks Andy. I believe the correct sling for the year would be either a single hook with the brass stud or the first type thin double hook?? Not positive on the dates different type slings were produced. Either way it is a nice sling and Fred is most likely correct on the value. Looks like a nice sling in the photos. I’ll put some Picard on it when the rifle arrives. Nice that it has a sling and also the tools, that’s 2 less pieces I’ll have to hunt down:icon_lol:
Finally got the rifle home! Looks much nicer than the photos on gun broker. I was mostly concerned with the stock being correct as the rod channel was hidden by the sling and the cartouche date not readable but it is correct. Unfortunately the rear sight is not correct in that it has an operational rack and pinion. Apparently someone thought this was the correct sight and discarded the proper one. Anyone here possibly have the correct sight? Will be posting photos as soon as I get the chance.
Dick Hosmer
12-13-2021, 11:22
Opinions have blown both ways about the rack-and-pinion over the years, so I'm not TOTALLY convinced we have it right - I'd pay a GREAT deal of attention to patina, color, dings on the screws, crud in/at the joint line of sight and barrel, etc. before I changed it. Conversely, if it's a lousy match with scarred screws, I'd be quicker to "fix" it. Getting the rifle basically for nothing gives you the luxury of being able to shop for a sight until you find that perfect one. Congratulations on a great find. Now you need to find a positive-cam. One was bought as a standard rifle at Baltimore about 20 years ago - think THAT guy was happy?
Thanks Dick, here are some photos. It is now dark by the time I get home now so the lighting is not very good plus bad photo skills LOL!!
4991649917499184991949920
I removed the sling tonight and although it seemed to be in good shape it was not. When removing the hook the leather ripped through one of the holes. Seems to be kinda dry rotted so don’t even think Picard would help. Even if it did not sure how I would repair the tear??
Kragrifle
12-17-2021, 06:32
If there is no R on the slide wouldn?t this prove it is the correct sight? Aren?t all the other TD Buffington sights marked R on the rifles?
Dick Hosmer
12-17-2021, 07:29
The gear-driven ones do lack the R, but that alone doesn't mean they are (or are not) the correct ones for the gun. Supposedly, the gear-driven slide, thought to be an improvement, wasn't, and it is believed that no arms were actually issued with it.
Mine, 318991, issued, per SRS, to my (VERY distant) cousin CPT W. C. Manning, 23rd Infantry, was returned to SA for "problems with the sights" and now has a standard "R" Buffington, which does appear to have slightly less wear than the rest of the rifle. No way of knowing what it was originally issued with. It bears dual cartouches [SWP/1885] & [SWP/1887] signifying the rework.
Tom Trevor
12-17-2021, 09:34
Just to muddy things a bit I have a rack and pinion Buffington sight with the R . Reports are it moved under recoil not much but did move. and It violated the Maynard patent on their rack and pinion tang sight. Perhaps to avoid a lawsuit over it like the add on pistol grip suit that went on into the 1920's it was dropped from production.
Well Tom, that did muddy the water a bit. Could be possible but who knows. There is a difference in the color of the slide and the leaf. Can’t be sure if parts were swapped out but the knob fell out while I was removing the sling. There’s no pin to hold it in so I just slid it back in.
Tom Trevor
12-17-2021, 02:52
Also I have seen Buffington sights with The binding knob but used the rack slider as it worked and they did not waste parts. Put the knob on and use a safety pin for the knob pin just push it in untill its tight and trim both ends off.
That’s a great idea Tom but there is no hole for a pin. Seems that the knob is inserted then on the opposite side there is an indentation which expanded the rod to hold the knob in. The windage knob does have a pin, not sure why the elevation knob would not??
Al has some knobs on his site, may have to ask him how to correct this issue.
Just when you think a good deal has been had you find out that it was not :(
Turns out that this M84 is an imposter!!! I couldn’t figure out why the bayonet was so difficult to remove along with discovering that the 1882 HSE would not fit in the butt stock along with the wiper??
I disassembled the rifle and found that the rod channel was originally fitted for the triangular rod bayonet making this stock for an M80 not the M84.
I was bamboozled :( I cannot believe that someone would fake such a rare rifle along with destroying another.
Just wanted to let all know that this rifle was not as posted but is now a replica of a rare trapdoor. Just a reminder also to keep an eye out for these imposters while shopping for these awesome rifles.
I hate to hear that. I'm sorry it didn't turn out to be what you expected. I have seen that in the last few years, people will fake almost anything.
Thanks Tkacook. It is still a nice looking rifle and will most likely be a good shooter since the bore is nice and shinny.
At least the price wasn’t that astronomical that I wouldn’t be able to recoup my money should I sell it.
Dick Hosmer
01-04-2022, 06:49
I guess, looking at this from a distance, this is just another confirmation of the old adage that "if something is too good to be true, it probably isn't". That said, I hasten to note that had I seen it - as it was represented - I'd have done EXACTLY what Carl did!!! The fault lies with the seller - who (now with the advantage of hindsight) I think may have known more about the gun than he divulged to Carl.
Many, many years ago, before I found my good one, I had a "maybe" '84 in an '88 stock, which I ultimately sold, with warts out in the open, very cheap, to a guy who was OK with a "lookalike". Some people are fine with them - others not. I have a project which I've been fooling around with for years - maybe I'll finish it, maybe I won't. I own a genuine M1882TRB bayonet, one of 26, and am slowly building a gun around it! A Jouster friend (thanks, John H.) machined the bayonet housing for me, and the rest is from the parts box, except for a bastard stock obtained from Al Frasca. It was a .50-70 stock with tip damage and the flats all rounded off. Totally NFG, EXCEPT for being PRECISELY what is needed to build a "tribute" M1882TRB!!! With original guns north of $25,000, I will be very happy with what should turn out to be a very nice "5-footer". Maybe next year I'll be able to post a family picture of all four RBs.
I for one would love to see pictures.
Tom Trevor
01-05-2022, 05:48
TKacook, Go to the very first post and look at the pictures in the Gun Broker add for the rifle.
Yes Dick, it was too good to be true!! With that being said since it is a good looking rifle and not way overpriced it seems that this rifle is growing on me LOL!!!
Think I will just hold onto it for a while and just refer to it as a BASTARD 84 :icon_lol:
Would be nice to see pictures of your project rifle Dick when it?s completed.
Sorry, I was replying to Dick Hosmer on his project.
Dick Hosmer
01-08-2022, 08:26
Sorry, I was replying to Dick Hosmer on his project.
I'll have to take some pics - I'm not very far along. As noted, it will be a "5-footer". Not attempting to replicate the friction breech, or the special M1879 Buckhorn sight, just the over-all length and general appearance. I may even cheat a bit on the latch and spring, and doubt that I will be able to achieve perfect alignment at the two hand-filed triangular holes, but I have a 'beater' 1880 rod to gauge by so as not to scratch up the rare one. I have a sorta close receiver (191xxx vs. the correct 1974xx) but am always open to TRADING for a closer one, if anyone can help.
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