Trapdoor Springfields
Just got my first, stamped model 1873 on the block. The rifle is pitted overall with a buttplate that suggests 100 years or so in a humid environment. It came with a bayonet that looks to be etched with blood (no pitting but a spotty black discoloration) and what looks like a pristine Buffington rear sight.
Corrosion on the buttplate is remarkably more severe than that on the exposed lock plate, breech block and exterior barrel. Also, the wood at the butt plate looks significantly more aged than the rest of the stock. The buttplate is loose and I haven't taken out the screws yet. The barrel, block, trigger guard, lock plate show varying conditions of corrosion not inconsistent with other components mentioned. The trigger guard is pitted rather severely and the trigger is rough but still shows the striae milled into it.
Upon dismantling the rifle I found, under the wood forend, a barrel that appears to have been furnished "bright" by the armory. The obvious difference between the conditions of the steel here is no less than remarkable.
Finally, upon inspection, the bore is almost pristine, suggesting some treatment not applied to the exterior aspects of the gun. Also, while the majority of the weapon appears to be period correct (for the most part) any and all cartouches have been sanded from the wood and the foerend is distinctly narrow and allows the bands to be slipped off without any coercion while not allowing rattles.
My questions are these:
For what period is the Buffington sight correct?
Describing pitting as roughly .010" into the breech and barrel and excluding the bore as described, would this be a safe shooter with reduced loads(50-60 gr)? I would rate the exterior of the barrel at 50% original an 50% pittiing.
Corrosion on the buttplate is remarkably more severe than that on the exposed lock plate, breech block and exterior barrel. Also, the wood at the butt plate looks significantly more aged than the rest of the stock. The buttplate is loose and I haven't taken out the screws yet. The barrel, block, trigger guard, lock plate show varying conditions of corrosion not inconsistent with other components mentioned. The trigger guard is pitted rather severely and the trigger is rough but still shows the striae milled into it.
Upon dismantling the rifle I found, under the wood forend, a barrel that appears to have been furnished "bright" by the armory. The obvious difference between the conditions of the steel here is no less than remarkable.
Finally, upon inspection, the bore is almost pristine, suggesting some treatment not applied to the exterior aspects of the gun. Also, while the majority of the weapon appears to be period correct (for the most part) any and all cartouches have been sanded from the wood and the foerend is distinctly narrow and allows the bands to be slipped off without any coercion while not allowing rattles.
My questions are these:
For what period is the Buffington sight correct?
Describing pitting as roughly .010" into the breech and barrel and excluding the bore as described, would this be a safe shooter with reduced loads(50-60 gr)? I would rate the exterior of the barrel at 50% original an 50% pittiing.
0
-
Hi does anyone know what the R.D.R stamp means on the underside of the stock right behind the trigger guard??I thought I read someware maybe Flagermans [I hope I spelt that wright] that R.D.R. was an outfit in N.Y.C. back in the early 1900'S who put together trapdoors from a mixed lot of pieces and they had some collecter value.Please help. 0 -
You probably mean Bannerman's. You made me look at mine & I find no such mark.
I think it is very likely mine came from there. It belonged to my Great-Grandfather & my grandfather before me. It has obviously been cut down from a rifle as there is no saddle ring cutout. The only such stamp on the stock is 49 over a D on the top rear.0 -
NO it has a fancy p in a circle about 1 inch behind the edge of the flange and in between thst is the RDR is very small.The cart. on the stock is 1888 but the serial # says it was made in the mid 90's 5613xx.Was bannermans the out fit or the name of the book? 0 -
Bannermans was the outfit, Flayderman's is the name of the book. 0 -
I've had a couple of trapdoors with that marking and always figured that was an arsenal inspector's stamp on refurbished Springfields, e.g., upgraded sight, trigger, stock, etc.
Trapdoor Springfield authority Al Frasca of http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/ would know for sure. You can e-mail him at afrasca@erinet.com0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
5 comments