No-name Trapdoor

[rustyb]

I have a recent interest in older firearms and now have on loan from someone a trapdoor rifle that I plan to shoot. I want to make sure of what I have, but there is no "make" anywhere that I can find. The few other trapdoors that I have seen all say "US Springfield" on the side plate - this one only says "1884" (plus the picture of the eagle). The top is marked "Model 1873 US". I have attached pictures of these two markings. It does not appear that "US Springfield" has been worn off. Is this a Springfield (I can't find any mention of other Model 1873 trapdoor rifles - and this looks in other respects just like the other Springfields that I have seen)? Any comments on these markings?

 

[Jim K]

That appears to be a "put together" gun assembled from various parts. The lockplate certainly should have "Springfield" on it and the breech block is the old arched type that was long obsolete but which was sold as scrap and used by various companies to assemble guns from obsolete and remanufactured parts.

I think the lockplate may be a machined down civil war musket lockplate with a fake date.

It should be safe to shoot, but be very cautious if thinking of buying it.

Jim

 

[rustyb]

Jim - you seem to really get around on these forums. Again, I appreciate the response (yesterday it was my Walther question). If I understand your response, you're saying that some parts may be original Springfield but not the entire rifle. Considering the vintage of the trapdoor, if this was a put together rifle this would most likely have occurred in the late 1800's, right?

I'm not considering buying it, so pedigree isn't a real concern - I noticed that it was "different" and wanted to learn what I could about its history/origin. After a thorough inspection and cleaning, if things look good I'll load up some BP rounds and give it a try.

Russ

 

[Jim K]

In the 1800's and early 1900's it was the practice of the government to sell off obsolete or defective parts to the highest bidder, and mail-order catalogs of 1870-1920 featured "army rifles" made up from such parts. As today, folks wanted guns that were similar to those used by the armed forces, and those guns satisfied that desire as well some of the market for inexpensive hunting rifles.

The breech block on your rifle was the first type (with the eagle head and U.S. below it instead of above the Model line). They became obsolete in 1877 and those on hand were sold off so they often appear in assembled rifles. As for the lockplate, all trapdoor lockplates were marked "Springfield" so there is something odd there. The parts may all be original Springfield, but IMHO the rifle was not assembled there and is not original as a rifle.

I think the gun is just what I said, a rifle assembled from surplus parts by a civilian entrepreneur. That does not make it dangerous or mean it should not be fired, but it definitely eliminates any real collector value, which is why I said to shoot, but don't buy.

Jim