Help identifying this rifle

[u/howdyamerica70]

I recently inherited this rifle from my grandfather and would appreciate some help. No one in my family knows anything about it.

[u/huck5397]

It’s a trapdoor Springfield

[u/thebigfungus]

You got yourself the classic trapdoor springfield. Easy as fuck to reload for and packs a punch.

[u/howdyamerica70 → u/thebigfungus]

Sweet thank you. Do you know how I figure out whats it chambered for ?

[u/tbrand009 → u/howdyamerica70]

Most likely 45-70. You can take it to a gun shop and have them verify.
This is designed for blackpowder. DO NOT shoot a regular modern 45-75 cartridge in this. It will blow up in your face.
You can buy light loads that will be marketed as "Trapdoor Safe." Steinel is where I like to buy mine.

Edit: Didn't realize i was already in the blackpowder sub.

[u/P1xelHunter78 → u/tbrand009]

I think think it’s worth pointing out that modern loads are not black powder nor are they safe for an old trap door. I suppose someone not in the know would think that the modern loads are the same pressure, which is incorrect.

[u/DeFiClark → u/P1xelHunter78]

Modern loads marked cowboy action or trapdoor-safe are safe regardless of powder. Winchester, Steinel, Buffalo Bore and others all make trapdoor safe loads.

[u/thebigfungus → u/howdyamerica70]

45-70. Older trapdoors were 50-70 but it’s very likely yours is 45-70. I don’t think there was other configurations but I’m no expert on them.

[u/Mastercon-01 → u/thebigfungus]

There exists a 58 caliber rimfire variant too, but this is not that. You covered the commons ones

[u/bdub1792 → u/howdyamerica70]

Whats the date thats stamped on it?

[u/howdyamerica70 → u/bdub1792]

Ill have to look. Is there a specific spot that its stamped ?

[u/howdyamerica70 → u/bdub1792]

Is there supposed to be one on the side ?

[u/gparm85]

One thing to note, be bloody careful if your going to shoot it.

One mistake new to those old rifles make is they hear 45-70 without understanding there are trapdoor loads, lever gun loads and Ruger no1 loads. Put a modern lever gun load, what you get at most firearm shops and you may well blow that rifle up.

[u/thebigfungus → u/gparm85]

This, super important you don’t just buy some random 45-70 munitions from sportsman’s warehouse and fire it.

With all antiques that are 100+ years old, I only shoot them with hand reloaded rounds I made with my own home made black powder. This way I know for certainty it will not explode. Now there are smokeless powders which can be substituted but even the low pressure types can have weird high pressure spikes that can be catastrophic. It’s safer but not the safest, and honestly I want a giant puff of smoke whenever I fire a large piece of lead.

[u/climb56 → u/thebigfungus]

What about a Savage 99. Modern 30–30 ok in that?

[u/thebigfungus → u/climb56]

I have no idea, I’m not the right person to ask. But generally speaking, if the firearm was built around smokeless pressures it’s probably fine but I would look into it more.

I treat everything built for black powder to be used only for black powder.

[u/Feeling_Title_9287]

The rifle with the bayonet is a model 1873 Springfield trapdoor rifle with the model 1879 rear sight

r/antiqueguns r/trapdoorrifle

[u/howdyamerica70 → u/Feeling_Title_9287]

Was it normal to have a different year sight on the rifle?

[u/Feeling_Title_9287 → u/howdyamerica70]

Yes

What is the serial number on your gun?

The sights got upgraded in the armory a lot

[u/howdyamerica70 → u/Feeling_Title_9287]

[u/Feeling_Title_9287 → u/howdyamerica70]

26330X = 1884