Looking at adding a trapdoor to my collection.   

Does anyone have any hints/tips/tricks for things to look for or to look out for?

Thanks

Dick Hosmer is pretty much the Trapdoor Guru... and you can take anything he tells you to the bank!!!

It helps to carefully consider your goal(s): A pristine collector piece, model and caliber (.50-70 or .45-70), historical context, good representative example or just an economy shooter?

(A cut-down rifle/quasi-carbine can be a fun shooter and not cost too much).

I suggest you pick up a $20 book or two. Poyer has a useful one on the .45-70. Dick Hosmer has a great one on the .50-70 models. (You can buy it from him and he will autograph it).

Chuck (B/Rs) beat me to it. Wanting to buy "a trapdoor" is like going to Baskin and Robbins. We'll need to know more of the what & why before making a lot of recommendations, other than the basics:

(1) Don't be in a hurry - they (except for a few models which would not be a good choice for a novice anyhow) are NOT rare.

(2) Get to know what "old" is supposed to look like. Avoid ANY sort of refinishing like the plague, unless you just want a cheap shooter with no resale value.

(3) Do some homework so that you know what piece goes with which model. There are a lot of mix-masters out there.

(4) Spend some time browsing   (You need to Login. Feel free to ask our opinion of any auction on which you might be interested in bidding.

(5) Don't become one of those guys who say "I just bought a xxxxxxxxxx for $$$$, how did I do?" That is one of the world's dumbest questions - if you do not already KNOW the answer, your wallet should have stayed in your pants pocket!

The search will be exciting.

Thanks for the replies.

I have had some collectors refer to me as a "accumulator" rather than a collector.  I see firearms, particularly military firearms, as pieces of living history, so I have built my collection in that direction.

So when I am looking for a firearm, these are the principles I generally try and follow:

1.  A good representation of 'type' - in this case, a "Trapdoor Springfield", preferably one that was made later in the production run  (Mod 1884 etc).

2.  Prefer one that is 'correct' - meaning it has all of the correct parts installed for that year/model.  If it doesn't, it won't need to pay the value of another rifle to make it correct.

3.  I am not looking for a museum quality piece.  They are pieces of living history to me.  I take great pleasure in being able to take them to the range and punch some holes in paper with them.  The end result of this is that I now reload for about 15 odd calibers.

Here is a link for one I was looking at - thoughts and feedback are welcomed.

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'AFJuvat' - That looks like a correct late model 1873 to me and would probably be a nice 'Shooter' or representative SAW piece.

The stock markings are interesting, but, a mystery to me.

IMHO - Cabela's $900 price is about $200 higher than I would expect to pay at a Gun Show for a 'trapdoor' in that condition. (It does have visible minor cosmetic flaws to metal finish and stock).

I like to see such a rifle first hand to be sure of bore condition, correct function of lock and action, and condition of Stock.

Dick Hosmer's advice to be patient and monitor selling (and 'sold') prices on GunBroker is golden.

I took a few pictures of one I am looking at.  I have a few books on order, but they are being delivered to my house, and I am up in Maine on business.

Bore condition is excellent.   What raises the hairs on the back of my neck is the fact that it almost looks too nice.

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A few more pictures.  It does lock up tight, with a three notch sear.  It has a ramrod, and no door on the buttplate.

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I don't see anything suspicious. The serial number, 461669, and 1889 stock 'cartouche' seem consistent.

Lots of 'Trapdoor' Springfield rifles saw light or little use and were well maintained.

'Bubba' didn't get to this one, to bugger up the screws!

Looks pretty good to me too

I bought it.   :)

For the condition that it is in, and for the price (less than the price tag pictures above), it was just too good to pass up.

Have some brass, dies, and cast bullets on the way, should arrive at the house the same day I get home.

Congratulations - Enjoy!

(Here is "SWP" and some of the guys who stocked your Trapdoor).

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butlersrangers wrote on Apr 5^th, 2017 at 1:40pm:

Congratulations - Enjoy! (Here is "SWP" and some of the guys who stocked your Trapdoor).

Which one is SWP? (I am assuming the gentleman in the bowler)

Do you happen to have a picture of the one who inspected my 1903 Krag?  :)

EDIT... Found him.

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AFJuvat - Wow, where did you find the J. Sumner Adams photo and how is it documented?

1. (Mr. Samuel W. Porter is the seated gentleman with the Derby, holding the completed model 1873 Trapdoor).

2. Here is a photo of Erskine S. Allin.

3. I believe your "Joseph Sumner Adams" photo matches the gentleman working at the bench in front of Conrad Nelson.

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I did a search on the Springfield Armory Museum Archives.

(here is the search results)

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Here are the other three photos that were on the site.

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Found another photo of ES Allin

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Here's another:

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and another:

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Dick, aren't the gentlemen named Hosmer (George in the first photo, and W.E. in the second) ancestors of yours?

Not precisely "ancestors", but definitely (even if somewhat distant) cousins - the lines split around 1700 or so

Snatched these off the SA website in haste. I have a much better printed copy of the one with George - who appears somewhat the dandy. The photo of William suffers some distortion - I may crop him out and stretch it vertically a bit.

SA had a "company magazine" (at least during WW1) called "The Armorer" which must be VERY scarce as I have found virtually NO information via any of the common search engines. I suspect that William's group pic comes from that publication.

Chuck - if you ever turn up any references to that magazine, I'd be grateful if you made me aware of same. Thanks.

AFJuvat - Thanks for the pictures of "J.S.A." and the Link to the Springfield Armory Digital Archieves. I have been trying to find an identified photo of J. Sumner Adams for a long time.

You made my Day yesterday! I checked the KCA site just before going to the hospital for O.P. knee surgery. You gave me something to look forward to exploring when I got home.

I hope we have not taken attention away from your 'new' Trapdoor. It is fun to tie Springfield Arms to the men who designed and made them.

It looks like the initials (B.Z.) and name (BILL ZABI N.C. 1932) stamped on your stock are for a previous North Carolina owner. It is so neatly done that IMHO it adds interest and doesn't hurt your rifle's value.

Dick - If I ever run across anything on "The Armorer" magazine, I will be sure to let you know.

In the picture Dick Hosmer posted of "The filing division of the armory in 1886", it appears to me, the man in the middle of this cropped portion could be J. Sumner Adams.

(The images were probably taken 30 to 40 years apart).

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AFJuvat wrote on Mar 26^th, 2017 at 1:24pm:

Looking at adding a trapdoor to my collection.    Does anyone have any hints/tips/tricks for things to look for or to look out for? Thanks

Go on Ebay and buy a copy of the Springfield research service database its 75$ has lots of info Trapdoors and Krag serial numbers worth every penny

Got it home and gave it a gentle cleaning.

Picked up a reproduction Mills belt and a authentic bayonet/scabbard/frog.

Loaded up some ammo and ready to take it to the range.

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