H&R 45-70 replica Springfield Trapdoor Carbine

[blfuller]

But tonight I move the rear tang sight and it breaks off in my hand!!
I don't suppose there is anyplace to buy a replacement? or maybe one of the after market tang sights would replace it. Also how do they remove?

The rear sight is removed by drifting the pin in the base out. If I recall correctly it only comes out one way. Under the spring there is a screw that allows it to be removed.

Your tang can be easily fixed by silver soldering the tube back to the base of the sight. I can't really tell from the pictures but it should be an easy fix for a local smith.

 

[moewadle]

I had one of these replicas

in 2006....Made by Pedersoli and not HR. It was an unfired one I bought that a collector had on consignment. I fired it a few times and a tiny screw fell out of the mechanism that locks the chamber. I cannot remember now exactly what the screw did but it occurred to me that this was really dangerous...I could tell that the potential for a blow-up of the locking mechanism could occur. A gunsmith made a new screw for the gun and fixed it. Coincidentally, I decided that I did not have the money to be shooting 45-70 much and sold the gun.

 

[TomADC]

Well good luck I hope I contacted the Pedersoli dealer here in the states and they have the tang sight in stock for $75.00 plus 9.95 shipping & handling. Should be here in a week.

 

[Maverick223]

Sounds like you got a pretty decent deal, good luck with the install.

 

[GooseGestapo]

RE: The Winchester 300gr HP load IS safe in the TrapDoors...
I was working at a gunshop in Anniston, Al in 1973, and we sold a LOT of the H&R trapdoors. Most of the the individuals who bought them shot the 300gr load through them. I never heard any complaints.

Remember that you have to compare apples to apples, not apples to oranges....

The Lyman (#48) data is quoted from a 24" bbl. The Winchester data is from a 30" bbl.

NOT THE SAME THING !!!!


If you'll look on page #295 of the #48 manual, at the #457191, 292gr bullet; you'll see that with Reloader #7, it's possible to get over 2,000fps from this bullet at trapdoor pressures......

I shoot only cast bullets through my .45/70 and see no need for jacketed bullets. My 405gr FNHB with w/w alloy heat-treated to 25-27bhn will shoot through anything living in N.America and most things African at the 1900fps that it'll see from my Marlin 1895GG over 55.0gr of IMR4064, and shoots ~2moa at 100yds.

However, I find the RCBS 300gr FNGC to meet most other needs, at 1,650fps over 30.0gr of #2400, or 45.0g of IMR4198 for about 2,000fps. (NOT TRAP-DOOR LOADS, MODERN LEVER ACTIONS OR STRONGER ONLY)

 

[Maverick223]

All I'm saying is that it is better use caution with some of the loads...in particular the new Hornady LeveRevolution and all of the Buff. Bore, and Garrett stuff.

 

[TomADC]

I bought 5 boxes of Goex black dawg loads from these people, scrool down to overstocked 45-70 they are $20.00 box of 20 and shipping is $12.00 1 to 10 boxes. Keep in mind these are black powder loads and rewquire proper cleaning after shooting.

http://www.powderinc.com/catalog/order_ammo.htm

 

[TomADC]

Well sight arrived today good news the blade that has the peep on it will replace the broken one perfectly drift the pin out of the new sight and install on the old base, bad news the tang portion is a 1/4" longer on both end's so I will need to make the inlet longer so it will mount simular to the old tang sight.

 

[TomADC]

Fixed, I just swapped the leafs for now, fit was perfect!!
Now I get to shoot it for the first time its unfired!

 

[TomADC]

Litle better picture:

 

[Maverick223]

Looks good...well the sight and rifle anyway...I think the ramrod could use a bit of dark stain but that's just me.

 

[TomADC]

So I shot it for the first time today, the sight doesn't have windage adjustment but you can see where I slowly moved it down to get it on target. This was shot at 50 yds first from a bag then standing offhand. shot both 350 & 405 gr bullets Goex black powder rounds. The 350 gr aren't real bad recoil wise but the 405 gr get your attention. Fun seeing that cloud of white smoke drifting away after you touch it off.

 

[krs]

Good shooting Tom!

That's as good as a friend of mine ever did with his old service trapdoor - I don't remember which year it had on it but remember it was a long gun, probably a 30" barrel.

He'd bring that thing out to a range we shared with local agency 'snipers' who would pack up and leave whenever they saw him coming. LOL! Every one else was glad to see him because those jerks always acted like they were the only people who should be allowed on the range. Them and their all-black-swat-webeKool selves.

 

[TomADC]

krs, LOL, if you look close at the target you will see 3 .22 LR holes in it that was from the guy shooting next to me could not figure out why his rifle was shooting so bad, and oh this was with a scope!!