Trapdoor ........... perhaps

[Woody]

Mike,

I've used a 525 grain Brooks and a 540 grain Mike Lewis bullet for years in my Trapdoors. The 525 grainer is what I used to set eight national records in mid-range. Dennis Bruns told me once to not be afraid to try the heavies.

I once worked on a 50-70 trapdoor, (Model of 1870), with double set triggers. They replaced the complete trigger bar and bow with a very crude homemade set-up. A heavy knockoff spring eliminated the need for a fly on the stock government tumbler and sear. No pics and no clue where that rifle is now.

Woody

[mdeland]

Also, is the receiver cased on all trapdoors as I read only the block and tang are! I'll check this one tomorrow with a prick punch.

[Woody]

Mike,

Just the tang and block were color cased. I believe the receivers were oil quenched.

Woody

[mdeland]

But they (receivers) are hardened ,right ?

[Woody]

Via oil quenching. Yes.

Woody

[John Bly]

Mike, I shoot a 535 grain Creedmoor style bullet .462" diameter with 60 grains of 1 1/2 Swiss. Mine shoots well, just ask Woody. With the shorter stock and skinnier butt plate on that cadet yours might hurt a bit. At 74 years old those sights are mighty hard to see to shoot well. I've replaced the front blade with one .093" wide. It helps some but at Friendship last Oct I had trouble deciding how much fuzz to allow onto the target. I still won the military match by 1 point with good chicken shooting. Trapdoors are made for offhand shooting.

[beltfed]

Even though the eyesight is "in its 80th year, this all makes me want to
haul out my TD and exercise it again. It has been a long time since I shot it.

I used mainly the Lyman Govt 500 gr RN, over 62 gr Goex 2F, later KIK2F.

but, I had, the last couple times I shot it,
used the Lyman 457671 as cast , a sleek"Snover" like shape, 0.4595", and 484 grains of my 9+1 COWW/lino
and , of course, w/o the gas check. My 0.060 LDPE wads are snug and apparently no problem with bare
gas check shank. My TD happens to have a tighter bore of around 0.459.

beltfed/arnue

[mdeland]

My bore is between .450 and.451 as the plug gauges indicate (.450 goes through with no resistance and .451 will barely start at breech and muzzle). Flayderman's says the three grooves are .0055 but I will slug it and measure with my Powley gauge. The rifling looks shallow to me but that might be because the groove and lands are the same width.
I sized these 530 grain Lyman'a to .457 and hope they will bump up to fill the grooves.
I can still see the fine front factory sight and really like the windage adjustment on the Buffington. Anxious to try the peeps on the staff.
I'll install a sear lift soon to get the pull down to 3 lbs or less . It is 6 lbs right now.
The gun doesn't have a lick of blue left on the barrel but seems to have had pretty good care for the most part. The chamber and throat look pristine. I see some mild pitting here and there in the bore but the riling is strong and believe it will still be a good shooter. I may have to give it a lap job but will have to see how it preforms first. The slug gauges indicate a level bore which is always a good sign.

[Woody]

Mike,

Just lighten the sear spring. Usually that is all that is required to get your trigger to the 3 lb. range. Three is the NRA BPTR, (military) requirement. My Trapdoor is about 3.5 lbs. with no sear adjustment or stoning.

Woody

As for John's trapdoor, I think we need to run his through inspection again. I'm sure it's not legal.

[beltfed]

I misspoke ( as they say in politics)
My TD GROOVE dia is about 0.459". perfect bore and grooves.
Oh, Thanks, Woody for the idea to lighten the trigger pull.
Will have to check that out.

I found , In The Past, that the Peep in the Buffy sight worked very well along with making sure
the front blade is sharp and square. And the original front sight hood was very helpful, especially on a sunny day.

Even used the peep for the offhand shots.
Nowadays, I am not so sure I can focus well enough thru the peep. Will find out...

beltfed/arnie

[Tomklinger]

Hey Woody,
Did you know that you can adjust the head space on a trapdoor by changing the diameter of the hinge pin? When I set up my Gemmer, it had a little too much head space. I read that a smaller pin would allow the block to move forward when it was closed thus, reducing the head space. And a larger pin would move it back in the same way to increase head space. I found a place that had different size pins so I ordered several sizes and tried the theory. It worked! The pins came in .002 increments.
Tom

[Woody]

Tom,

That's a new for me. Makes sense after you think about it, but counter-intuitive initially. Thanks for the info.

Woody

[mdeland]

Tom, I think that just means the latch spring and locking cam is pushing the block forward to temporarily tighten head space but back thrust on the case head at firing would push the block back to the receiver rear, block seat. You might want to give your cases a check inside, just ahead of the web to make sure you don't have a stretch ring started.
The pin on the ears is only a hinge and is not designed to support back thrust of the case and then block.

[45bpcr]

I love my old Trapdoor.

I bought it at a gun show up here in NH back when I didn't have a pot to piss in.

GWB thought it'd be a great idea to give me back an extra $600.00 of the money that .gov appropriated from my paycheck, so I spent it on that rifle and a Lyman mould.
It was an old #457125 Lyamn/ Ideal one.

Still have the rifle and the mould.

That was the only .gov "stimulus" check I've ever received.
I'm glad I didn't spend it foolishly.

C

[Woody]

Mike,

Tom is correct. Once latched, the breech does not and can not move to the rear. It's the cam that takes all of the thrust transmitted, not the rear face of the breech.

Woody