I began work on the trapdoor that I purchased at the GS .
In the way of background this thing (loving reference) started life as a rifle in 1882. SN is 18 then two unreadable digits but I think they are 55 and then 21. Keith at Trapdoors Galore does not have a listing for the rifle. The last listing (184XXX) before this rifle went to North Carolina. The one after it (187XXX) went to Oregon.
I am sure the thing I bought (paid 60 bucks) is a combination of parts from different origins. It has a base for a Buffington sight, but the original rifle was shipped with the short sight. Removing the sight base reveals a weathering pattern on the barrel from the original sight.
It has a rifle trigger guard.
The stock which is actually in quite good condition was cut off less than two inches in front of the lower barrel band. The barrel band spring is missing.
The barrel is from a rifle hence it is just over 32 inches in length. The bore is best described as poor to fair. The front sight blade, thumb latch cam and spring, and the extractor plunger and spring are all missing. The extractor is broken. The barrel band is one which was made from a section of brass pipe as the original is missing.
The trigger guard, butt plate, and barrel are weathered as though they came from a common origin. The lock appears to be less weathered.
The tumbler works as a two position tumbler. Two position tumblers are out there but I think this is not one of them. I think it has a worn half cock detent.
My plan for the thing is to turn it into a cavalry model carbine.
This will be my third conversion.
The operations have essentially three areas. 1. The stock, 2. The receiver, and 3. The peripherals including trigger guard, sight and such.
For the stock, I will extend the fore arm as I did on the 44XXXX serial Trapdoor. I will inlet the left side of the stock for a saddle ring and rail. I will make the saddle ring and rail and then refinish the stock to the point where the patina of the stock matches that of the metal of the rifle.
For the receiver I will make a firing pin and just buy the missing parts.
For the peripherals I will modify the existing trigger guard to match the carbine contours. (This will be an experiment.) I will buy the barrel band and sight. I will talk to Al Frasca about finishing out the Buffington sight rather than abandoning the Buffington base in favor of the sorter sight. More thought will go into that.
If this conversion is unsuccessful I will simply part out the thing and hope I get more than sixty buck for the parts.
In the way of background this thing (loving reference) started life as a rifle in 1882. SN is 18 then two unreadable digits but I think they are 55 and then 21. Keith at Trapdoors Galore does not have a listing for the rifle. The last listing (184XXX) before this rifle went to North Carolina. The one after it (187XXX) went to Oregon.
I am sure the thing I bought (paid 60 bucks) is a combination of parts from different origins. It has a base for a Buffington sight, but the original rifle was shipped with the short sight. Removing the sight base reveals a weathering pattern on the barrel from the original sight.
It has a rifle trigger guard.
The stock which is actually in quite good condition was cut off less than two inches in front of the lower barrel band. The barrel band spring is missing.
The barrel is from a rifle hence it is just over 32 inches in length. The bore is best described as poor to fair. The front sight blade, thumb latch cam and spring, and the extractor plunger and spring are all missing. The extractor is broken. The barrel band is one which was made from a section of brass pipe as the original is missing.
The trigger guard, butt plate, and barrel are weathered as though they came from a common origin. The lock appears to be less weathered.
The tumbler works as a two position tumbler. Two position tumblers are out there but I think this is not one of them. I think it has a worn half cock detent.
My plan for the thing is to turn it into a cavalry model carbine.
This will be my third conversion.
The operations have essentially three areas. 1. The stock, 2. The receiver, and 3. The peripherals including trigger guard, sight and such.
For the stock, I will extend the fore arm as I did on the 44XXXX serial Trapdoor. I will inlet the left side of the stock for a saddle ring and rail. I will make the saddle ring and rail and then refinish the stock to the point where the patina of the stock matches that of the metal of the rifle.
For the receiver I will make a firing pin and just buy the missing parts.
For the peripherals I will modify the existing trigger guard to match the carbine contours. (This will be an experiment.) I will buy the barrel band and sight. I will talk to Al Frasca about finishing out the Buffington sight rather than abandoning the Buffington base in favor of the sorter sight. More thought will go into that.
If this conversion is unsuccessful I will simply part out the thing and hope I get more than sixty buck for the parts.
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