Help with Trapdoor Cadet 50-70

[Dick Hosmer]

Very nice collection!! This is my 1869 Has a small disk with the #4 and what looks like 2 w's on the left of stock[ATTACH=CONFIG]42574[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]42575[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]42576[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]42577[/ATTACH]

That's a very nice M1869.

[Carlsr]

Thank You Dick Hosmer. You have any idea what the 2 W's stamped in the stock may mean??

[Dick Hosmer]

Thank You Dick Hosmer. You have any idea what the 2 W's stamped in the stock may mean??

No, I'm sorry that I do not. The only comment I can make is that few arms of ANY kind are marked in that particular location. The inspection marks are on the left wrist flat and behind the trigger guard plate. Usage/ownership stamps are more often found on the comb just in front of the butt-plate, or on the RIGHT side of the stock, usually larger and at right angles to the bore, so as to be read with arm vertical. I'd suspect some non-military post-service group.

[Carlsr]

Thank you Dick Hosmer.

[Carlsr]

Dick Hosmer, I bought both your books off amazon over the holidays, received the 58/50 book the other day which is the one I really wanted just to read up on the 1869 cadet. Great books, awesome job!! From your book I found that my cadet is actually a 50/55 not a 50/70. I reload for my 45/70 and have been gathering components to reload 50/70. Thanks to you and your book I will be reloading the proper load for my cadet and not the full charge, may not have been a good thing shooting a full charge in it???? It seems to be all correct but one thing I have noticed is that the hammer is not centered on the firing pin. All my other TD"s are centered. About a 1/16th hangs over the right side. Everything seems to be correct though. Is this normal for a cadet?
Thanks again for the awesome books!!

[Dick Hosmer]

Glad you are enjoying the books! Cannot say about your hammer - it should align. You have the correct lockplate and hammer, so it isn't that. Perhaps there is a little side play at the rear of the block, and/or the hammer may be very slightly bent. Is the hammer seated all the way down on the tumbler? Can you manipulate the parts so as to make it line up? There is no harm in loading the full 70 grains, as the actions are identical, but - in the slightly lighter gun - felt recoil will be considerably worse.

[Carlsr]

There is a little side play but not much. I thought maybe the hammer may be bent but it looks straight to me and if it were I'd just leave it as is and not mess with it. I believe it is also seated all the way down. I try to take some close up pictures and post them. Also the bayonet for these are 16 1/4" Long being the standard M1855 bayonet but shorter and 11/16 wide?

[Dick Hosmer]

Yes, the bayonets were re-profiled (made shorter and narrower) from the parent musket bayonet. I personally have never owned one, or even seen one for sale that I recall. They definitely are not under every bush, so you'll need to keep your eyes open.

[Edatbeach]

The correct Cadet bayonet is the Model 1867. Besides the shorter, narrower blade, the socket bore is smaller than the M1855. This type fits the Springfield Models 1867, 1869 and Navy 1867 Cadet rolling block rifles. Early versions were recontoured M1855s with a sleeve in the socket. Later ones were made new.

[Carlsr]

Thank you Edatbeach.

[Fred]

Thank You Dick Hosmer. You have any idea what the 2 W's stamped in the stock may mean??

could it be for Wentworth Military Academy in Missouri?

[Carlsr]

Two w's may = Went Worth??

[Fred]

Possibly somebody could have thought it a good idea at the time to have used a play on letters to mark it like that. It's only speculation.

[Carlsr]

True. May never know