Bought a 1873 Trapdoor today, what did I get???

[cplnorton]

I know very little about trapdoors. But for some reason this one called out to me. So it followed me home.

The trapdoor itself is marked 1873. There is a proof mark on the barrel, VP and eagle head. The lockplate is marked US Springfield w/no date. The sight is marked with a R and has numbers 5 to 1. The cartouche on the stock is dated 1883. There is circle p proof under the wrist. The serial number is 350,400. Excellent wood, and bore. And the finish is much nicer in person than in the pics.

How original is this rifle? Thanks in advance.

http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt293/cplnorton2/1873%20trapdoor/trapdoor007.jpg

http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt293/cplnorton2/1873%20trapdoor/trapdoor021.jpg

http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt293/cplnorton2/1873%20trapdoor/trapdoor015.jpg

http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt293/cplnorton2/1873%20trapdoor/trapdoor014.jpg

http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt293/cplnorton2/1873%20trapdoor/trapdoor012.jpg

http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt293/cplnorton2/1873%20trapdoor/trapdoor020.jpg

[usmctop]

Very Nice!

[Dick Hosmer]

The lockplate MAY have been replaced - lettering looks like the final (much later) slightly taller and "thinner/finer" font style, but I'm not 100% sure, due to quality of picture. The rear sight screws would have been slotless when issued, so that has been changed. Other then those two points, it looks completely correct.

[Mike Josephic]

I also recently bought a trapdoor similar to yours. It has 1873 on the breech block, an
1883 cartouch and the serial number is 232703, which is late 1883 / early 1884.
It has the buffington rear sight. It's about 98% blue / case finish. I have a post about
it seeking SRS data a few down from this one.

I'm no trapdoor expert either, but your serial number (at least my book says) puts it well
into mid 1886 production. I'm not sure what that means vs. the cartouch, but maybe some "experts" will chime in.

The book I'm using is the Wait / Ernst book published 1980. Like you, I'm eager to learn
more about these.

Comments anyone?

Mike

[Dick Hosmer]

Apparently I was thinking of the poster who could not read his cartouche - sorry. IF the date is truly 1883, then the stock and action do not belong together. If the date (not clear in pic) could possibly be read as 1886, it would then be a match. Truth be known, many of these rifles have been through so many hands that it can be very difficult to ascertain what is "original" and what is not. AND - what appears to be a mismatch as far as original fabrication, COULD be an entirely legitimate reassembly after overhaul. Still a nice-looking rifle.

[cplnorton]

Thanks everyone. By any chance does it have a srs hit?

350400