Just curious

[John Sukey]

Has anyone ever seen a .30 cal trapdoor? Yes, they made them
Closest I ever got was finding a breechblock for one many years ago.

[Frontier Soldier]

Hi John,
I believe there were only a handful of .30s made, mostly for trial purposes. They will most likely be found in museums, or in private collections. I am not for certain, but I think there is one on display at the Springfield Armory N.H.S. Me myself, I have never seen one.

[Tom Trevor]

I saw and handled the one that the late Bob Hill had in his collection as he only lived a couple of miles from me.

[Dick Hosmer]

Approx. 15 rifles were made, in several variations - in fact, I'm not sure there were any two identical. They were strictly for testing the concept of a small-caliber, nominally smokeless, cartridge, in response to similar designs from Europe. When we adopted the Krag, it was chambered for the SA experimental cartridge - or one so close to it as to make any distinction meaningless. Yes, the TD (modified a bit) held .30-40 Krag pressures, IF you didn't mind hammering the latch open! (DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!!!!!)

Bob's specimen was letter "L", and was in near mint condition - I saw it while visiting him in Carson City, in the early 1990s.

Letter "D", which I very briefly considered purchasing a few years ago, and of which I have numerous pictures, will be covered in my second book, now approaching completion. It went from the late C. W. Slagle, to Julia Auctions, to a private buyer. Interestingly, the block was a fake at time of sale, but the ultimate purchaser - who had tracked the rifle for years - was able to find a loose one! Yours, John?

A list of known specimens, but not (in the case of private collectors) who owns them, as well as some general info on the subject, will be included as well.

[Dan Shapiro]

I'm hoping the book will be in time for Christmas!

I tend to put my "wish list" out early.

[musculus]

yes, once in my life. From the best me and the proprietor of the shop (it was in Orange County NY) could figure out, it seemed legit. I wish I had taken pictures (but it was a 60 mile round trip for me)..

[Dick Hosmer]

Had it by any chance been "sporterized"? One such turned up at a very small New England auction a few (10 or so) years back. There are so few of them, that they can almost be treated/tracked as individuals. Don't know where it went after that, might be the one that is said to now be in Florida. Letter was never quoted. Sad to see a great rarity in other than original configuration. I have some pictures of that one too, but they are not of publishable quality.

[musculus]

no, it was a full-length rifle. Across a room, it looked just like a regular trapdoor. I vaguely recall that there might have been a partial barreled action that also came with the complete rifle (it was from an estate and the wife had brought it in). We did the best we could to figure it out with what references we had.

[Dick Hosmer]

Many years ago, mid 1970s, an old friend from Texas told me that he (and some other folks) had laid out on his living room carpet five (5) .30 caliber TDs. Not all were totally complete guns, but, at approximately 33% of the entire receiver production, that is still pretty impressive!

A few of the 15+/- originally had wooden handguards around the rear sight - that, and the more rearward sight placement, is really the only long range visual clue.

[11mm]

Many years ago, mid 1970s, an old friend from Texas told me that he (and some other folks) had laid out on his living room carpet five (5) .30 caliber TDs. Not all were totally complete guns, but, at approximately 33% of the entire receiver production, that is still pretty impressive!

A few of the 15+/- originally had wooden handguards around the rear sight - that, and the more rearward sight placement, is really the only long range visual clue.

Dick--As far as you know, were these .30 trapdoors all chambered in what we know as 30/40 Krag, or were there variations reflected in the .30 chambering as the cartridge was developed? Just curious....