$400 Trapdoor Springfield Estate Auction Find

[bbarer]

These guns are too cool I couldn't pass this one up, especially since I was the only bidder and won it for a starting bid of $400!!

Ok why is it so cool? History and crazy how Springfield just cobbled these together willy nilly from boxes of parts in what must have been the most unorganized armory in the universe.

This is a model 1888 you can tell by the fact that it is clearly stamped 1884! however it has the 1888 style round rod bayonet that every TD expert can tell you was not the style used for the paltry few actual 1884's that were built. It has a serial number that dates it as being built in 1886 now this is really cool except as is typical it has the original stock dated 1891! Fact verified to me by a leading expert in these rifles is that Springfield found a bunch of old receivers in 1891 and used them on new rifles. Now how cool is that!

Sorry for no full length pictures this gun is long......

 

[EJFudd]

Damn nice! Wanna sell it?

 

[majspud]

Cleaning rod bayonet, too. Very nice.

T

 

[bocan3]

Very nice pickup!

 

[oldguy47]

TOTALLY cool! wish you could get the whole rifle into a pic!

 

[majspud]

You can. Find a nice background, take the picture and crop it.

Same rifle, M88, made in the fall of '92.

Did anything come in the butt-trap? Bbarer, I can send you a link for a sight cover if you're interested.

T

 

[SKS Ray]

Nice score.

 

[bbarer]

Yeah can't say I am the best photographer! Will try again this weekend and update the thread!
I have already ordered the sight cover but thanks! Nothing in the stock compartment first thing I checked though!

You can. Find a nice background, take the picture and crop it.

Same rifle, M88, made in the fall of '92.

Did anything come in the butt-trap? Bbarer, I can send you a link for a sight cover if you're interested.

T

 

[45collector]

You paid $400 for that? Dude.

Very nice.

 

[noddaduma]

Dang man nice find! A trapdoor is at the top of my list.. You'd be lucky to pay double that for an example in that condition.


Check for play in the trapdoor (the hinged part) itself.

 

[dhuze]

I'll give you $500 for it.

 

[bbarer]

As Promised!

 

[SKS Ray]

Looks like it cleaned up nicely. Have to admit, an old trapdoor Springfield is on my want list.

 

[boilermaker]

Nice looking stock! What auction was this?

 

[bbarer]

I purchased it from an auction by Morris and Morris in Lakeville a few weeks ago...They do mostly estates and get a few firearms from time to time..

 

[The5thDentist]

Awesome find!

 

[martin08]

Looks like you found a gem. Still needing a rod bayonet example for myself. Mostly, they are $700 and up for un-messed with examples.