Home Forums Hunting & Shooting BPCR My Pride and Joy-1873 Springfield Trapdoor-1883 Cartouche

This rifle was in the 2nd ,Oregon National Guard, Company H from 1898 until around the 50's when these rifles were surplused out one ending up near Ft. Lewis WA where my buddy's dad purchased this beautiful thing and used it in competition black powder matches for a few years. He kept it in great shape, the bore still slugs at .458! Rifling sharp and crisp. I typically beat the Garand guys at the 200 yard range. It's the rifle, not the shooter!
I had a gunsmith buddy make a slightly higher titanium front sight for it (.304 high, measured from base)

The barrel was unprofessionally re-blued some time during it's life but that's about the only flaw on this rifle.

I shoot a 500 gr lyman cast RN bullet, lubed with SPG and 62 grains of Old Enysford 1.5F and also a 405 Lyman cast RN bullet with 68 grs of same powder. After much experimentation, these are my most accurate loads.

ALL PHOTOS HERE--> https://sportsdad60.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/

wow....that is a beauty...
amazing how well the case color held up..
someone sure did look after it....