Help with 1884/91 Springfield Trapdoor Carbine

A

AbleJones

Inactive
Inherited from my FIL this beautiful piece of history. I am very grateful to him for being such an incredible steward. He owned it for over 45 years and always kept it in a climate controlled house. After I received it, I wipe down the stock with a mild cleaner, followed by a fresh coat of boiled linseed oil. I also put a fresh coat of Hoppes No. 9.

Here's where the help comes in; I always assumed that the rifle was 100% original (except for the sling) and hope it is.

Research has not helped. I have looked at a few sites including; https://gun-data.com/springfield_trapdoors.html

According to what I have found, there were no Carbines built in 1891. The serial number matches the Cartouche.

The barrel is 24"

Everything appears to be correct. What am I missing?

Hopefully the pictures will help.

1884g.JPG

1884k.JPG

1884n.JPG

1884m.JPG

1884h.JPG

1884b.JPG
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Good Lord! What giant pictures. The barrel is sticking out one side of my computer and the butt stock out the other side.

My uncle had one close to what yours looks like and his had had the barrel cut down sometime way in the past. Fun to shoot though.

Did you get all those bags of micro fiber rags from Harbour Frieght?

Welcome to the forum.
 
Is there a hole or a filled hole in the stock under the barrel where the ramrod used to go? The carbines did not have a ramrod under the barrel like the rifles. It looks like it has the Buffington rifle sight. I'm not sure, but don't think the carbines had the same sight. My guess is, it's a cut down rifle. What is the barrel length?
The rifles has 32 5/8" barrels, the cadet rifle was 29 5/8" barrel and the carbine had a 22" barrel. If yours is somewhere in between it is for sure a cut down rifle.
 
Yes it is a cut down rifle not a carbine. No ring, barrel the wrong length. Nicely done but still a cut down rifle.
 
If there's no filled in hole in the front of the stock take off the barrel band. Sometimes they used the fore end tip from a broken carbine stock and you can see the seam under the barrel band. I don't know about those type sights but the older ones had an R stamped on them for rifle and a C for carbine. The graduations are different.
 
Going to add some close ups of the front end of the stock. Also going to check the other items mentioned in the posts.

If this is a "cutdown", which based on the comments, it may very well be, it was performed to perfection by an extremely talented Smith.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

~Able Jones
 
It is well done but still a cut down, no carbines were produced after 1889 and there are a myriad of things "wrong" with it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top