In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Trapdoor Springfield

BlckhrnBlckhrn Member Posts: 5,136
edited March 2006 in Ask the Experts
What would an original trapdoor Springfield in the original crate and unfired be worth?

No, I don't have it, got a look with the top off the crate some 35 years ago at an acquaintance's home. As I recall it was in the white. He said the hammer had never fallen on the firing pin. That is about all I know about the rifle. It wasn't a carbine.

york.bmp"You can build a man a fire and keep him warm for a couple hours or douse him with fuel oil and keep him warm the rest of his life"

Comments

  • BlckhrnBlckhrn Member Posts: 5,136
    edited November -1
    Was looking at one in a gun shop today, rifle, not a conversion. Case coloring faded completely, barrel bluing about 90%, bore bright with sharp lands and minimal pitting. Wood looks to have been sanded, no visible cartouches on a brief look.

    He was asking $1000, thinking he may take less. What's it worth?

    Also had an 1851 Remington conversion with Maynard (tape)lock. $1800. Bore looked bright at the muzzle.
  • BlckhrnBlckhrn Member Posts: 5,136
    edited November -1
    I just finished cleaning the rust and grime off of this 1884 and got new parts to replace the ones missing and not in good shape. The block, chamber, barrel are in good shape and everything locks up tight. The face of the of the block shows no cupping or pitting you find in weapons with lots of round fired through them. With the condition of the parts put aside, the question is what is the best choice of ammo for this rifle. I have looked at the cowboy rounds, low volicity but leave only one choice of round to fire. I have read that the rounds should be below 20,000 cup and I have looked at boxes of ammo and none had this info.

    Thank you for any info


    Emmett
  • HAIRYHAIRY Member Posts: 23,606
    edited November -1
    Blckhrn: IMHO, $800 tops; there is nothing about the rifle that makes it special. Check the sold auctions for comparisons and you'll get a better idea.
  • gandj armsgandj arms Member Posts: 93 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    you might want to give me an email; a friend of mine had one a little while back; might be worthwhile looking into.
  • dcinffxvadcinffxva Member Posts: 2,830 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree with Hairy. If the wood has been sanded, and the case coloring is completely faded, this is a shooter, not a collector piece. Keep an eye on the auctions here. There are plenty of good shooter grade trapdoors for less than 1K.
  • BlckhrnBlckhrn Member Posts: 5,136
    edited November -1
    When I am looking at a shooter I look first at the bore. Seller's descriptions of bores vary greatly from mine here and always in their own favor.
  • BlckhrnBlckhrn Member Posts: 5,136
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by HAIRY
    Blckhrn: IMHO, $800 tops; there is nothing about the rifle that makes it special. Check the sold auctions for comparisons and you'll get a better idea.


    $800 was what I was thinking of offering him
  • 1KYDSTR1KYDSTR Member Posts: 2,361 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    In my opinion, most of those $800 shooters you see here on GB are not selling at that price. Just a lot of them going around and around on continual auction. I would start at about the $600 mark and bust his b#$$@ to get it as close to that price as possible. The only way I would budge past that mark is if the barrel is a museum piece that looks like the day it was produced at Springfield, thus making it a great candidate as a shooter!

    These things are no longer cheap. but I picked up a cut down rifle last summer (done very nicely with the correct trrigger guard, stock/hardware and sights) for $600 that has a gorgeous barrel and shoots like a house afire! Look long and hard when purchasing these. A gun like this without the inspectors and firing proofs is scarcely worth bothering with in terms of collectability as far as I am concerned. Good luck...and boy are these guns fun to play with!
Sign In or Register to comment.