M1873 Springfield Trapdoor Carbine...
Cut down from a rifle.
Whoever did it did an excellent job a long time ago.
Has the proper carbine sight and the bore is good considering the age.
Definitely a shooter.

Price?

A good trapdoor is a fun gun to own... and gets a lot of attention at the range

Recoil can be significant.  The military later used a reduced load in the carbines, 405 grain bullet and only 55 grains of black powder.

I have what is probably a cut down rifle also. They are a neat rifle. I haven't shot mine yet as it needs some work and parts swapped out to make it work right. I was thinking of making it an experimental version of the carbine as the stock was cut down too much and the band doesn't sit in the right spot. It interferes with the rear sight.

Buy it.  Sure cut downs aren't as a cool as factory carbines but if they were converted well they are still great guns.  

Mine is a cut down and I love it. A guy who's familiar with trapdoors looked at it and said it was beautifully done.  He guessed it was probably cut down immediately after they were sold as surplus in 1903.  He said mine appeared to have been carried a lot but shot very little so probably owned by someone who carried it for hunting and defense.  Mine still has the rifle Buffington sight and I considered changing it but it's carried this sight for over 100 years so it's definitely staying.

When you consider their history while in military use and then their history in civilian hands, you can imagine their overall history was fascinating.  At least to me it is.  I can imagine someone buying this surplus rifle at the turn of the century and then cutting it down to make it lighter and more maneuverable.  Maybe they lived in the West or Oklahoma where it was still pretty wild at that point.  That carbine was now all that stood between that family and starvation and safe from those who wished to bring them harm.  Imagine the meat it put on the table and security it brought a family who couldn't afford a fancy lever action rifle.  

I can get lost in the possibilities.  One thing I can guarantee you though is that these guns will never be cheaper than they are right now.  I bought mine around 10 years ago and it's easily doubled in value since then.

An older (than me) gentleman that I've traded back and forth with has it.
I've got some modern made "old stuff" that he wants - so a swap.
It'll be less than $1k cash wise.

I reckon I'll have to roll some black powder rounds.

With black powder rounds ( I load black when I can find it or 2F pyrodex- I think it is called RS) my load is about 65 grains and a 405 bullet.
Modern cases won’t fit as much powder as they have a different style casehead and are thicker
Recoil is not at all unpleasant

Hmm...I have a pound of RS on the shelf.

It'd better be waaaaaaaay less than $1k.

$4-500, tops, IMHO.

Me seeing a thread about trapdoors:??
Also me, opening the thread and finding no pictures:??

Picking it up today and will post pics.

The theory is a cut down will never have the historic value of a actual carbine. I truthfully have no idea of current values .

If done properly and in decent condition the carbines can be great shooters.

I own the H&R reproduction that was a upgraded model built in 1973 (100th year of the 1873 model!) . This gun has way better fit finish and wood than the run of the mill H&Rs that were really pretty plain. At any rate a real hoot to shoot.

Blackpowder loads of course are fine as long as you take the correct cleaning steps after shooting . Many reloading books have good safe smokeless powder loads , just be sure you are the page listing "trapdoor loads" and not the pages with the loads for Marlins and Rugers.

Trapdoor loads for the 405 cast bullet shove you a bit but they are not bad for most folks , way lighter than a shotgun slug load .

I load for 43 spanish in my Remington Argentine rolling block carbine and the load is pretty similar... I have 70 grains of compressed 2f BP under a 365 grain LRN and in the less than 6 pound carbine, it only pushes on you. No jarring or unpleasant recoil at all, even with the Rolling Blocks excessive drop at the comb. I can easily shoot 30 to 40 rounds at a stretch without fatigue at the shoulder... The trigger, OTOH, is where I actually get tired, as it must be 15 lbs at least!!