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Posted: 6/7/2026 8:12:48 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Miami_JBT][Edited]
I spent money on a thing. Specifically an old thing.  An old thing with a mirror clean bore and chamber.  A Model 1873 Trapdoor made between July to September of 1884. |
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Looks to have the earlier 1879 style rear sight. The 1884 buffington rear was similar to what you see on a 1903 Springfield with a flat battle sight and folding leaf adjustable for elevation and windage at the base. They are great shooters. Trapdoor specific smokeless loads of my preference black powder loads. My experience is they were sighted high, so even at its lowest rear sight setting, you might be 18 inches or so high at 100 yards. I made a high front sight blade out of a large washer then went to the range with a file and shoot a couple file shoot a couple and so on until I got it where I wanted it. Not sur3 about yours, but mine had a pinned in front sight that mad3 it easy. The earlier versions were a solid front brazed to the barrel and would be more problematic. |
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One of the local shops has 3 of them in pretty good shape, at a price I consider reasonable. I may buy one soon myself. |
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Wow that is a nice 1873 rifle. I have a few trapdoors and have one early 1878ish one I use as a shooter that is in rough enough shape I didn't feel guilty making a taller front sight blade for it. I'd have a hard time risking buggering up the front sight blade pin on that one ! 
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That is a very late, very nice 1873. The 1884s are just over the horizon. Does it still have the slotless screws holding the rear sight? I thought I would buy one example and ended up with 9 trapdoor rifles and 6 carbines, I think. There may be a couple more. They are addictive. |
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“Believe me, nothing except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won.” - Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
“Believe me, nothing except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won.” - Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
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Originally Posted By captain127: Looks to have the earlier 1879 style rear sight. The 1884 buffington rear was similar to what you see on a 1903 Springfield with a flat battle sight and folding leaf adjustable for elevation and windage at the base. They are great shooters. Trapdoor specific smokeless loads of my preference black powder loads. My experience is they were sighted high, so even at its lowest rear sight setting, you might be 18 inches or so high at 100 yards. I made a high front sight blade out of a large washer then went to the range with a file and shoot a couple file shoot a couple and so on until I got it where I wanted it. Not sur3 about yours, but mine had a pinned in front sight that mad3 it easy. The earlier versions were a solid front brazed to the barrel and would be more problematic. I'd wonder if they were sighted for a "fine sight" picture, with the tip of the front sight just barely peeking into the bottom of the rear notch, rather than the "equal height, equal light" we're used to more recently. |
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Originally Posted By Miami_JBT: I spent money on a thing. https://i.imgur.com/maY0C2b.jpeg Specifically an old thing. https://i.imgur.com/Rgm6JaT.png An old thing with a mirror clean bore and chamber. https://i.imgur.com/4V8xkMg.png A Model 1873 Trapdoor made between July to September of 1884. A sister to mine. My 1873 Trapdoor was also made between July to September of 1884 and is a rifle, not the carbine. Looks great for a rifle 140 plus years old. Thanks for sharing. |
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I also spent money on a thing. I already have your thing. I needed other thing. Attached File Attached File Cleanest, nicest Chassepot I've ever encountered. 1872, and I found a very good condition Tulle 1872 bayo, matching. |
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