Springfield trapdoor 1884

[weatherby]

I just picked this one up and I'm pretty ignorant about them.

It appears to have the experimental ram rod bayonet?
Can 405 grain factory jacketed bullet ammo be used ?
The bore is great.
Basically any help is appreciated.

 

[majspud]

I've been told jacketed is not a good idea; it will scar the bore...designed for lead bullets. I have the same one.
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[Maninblue1861]

Was going to chime in, jacketed ammo a no no for these.

 

[jpm]

I just picked this one up and I'm pretty ignorant about them.

It appears to have the experimental ram rod bayonet?
Can 405 grain factory jacketed bullet ammo be used ?
The bore is great.
Basically any help is appreciated.

That's not an 'experimental' ramrod bayonet. What you have is a Springfield model 1888 trapdoor. It was the last trapdoor model made and it followed the model 1884. You do not go by the date on the breechblock since that could be either an 1884 or 1873 dated breechblock, they are interchangeable. You go by the features of the rifle, in this case the ramrod bayonet and to some extent the breechblock date since they probably all would have used 1884 dated blocks, and the buffington (ladder type) rear sight. Yours was made in 1891.

DO NOT USE JACKETED AMMO! For one thing it will be WAY too hot. And it will also erode the bore since the barrel steel is not as hard as modern manufacture. ONLY use ammo that specifically states it is safe for Trapdoor rifles! That will typically mean a 405gr or maybe 350gr lead bullet. If you're shooting less than about 300 yds, flip up the ladder sight and run the peep all the way to the bottom and you should be able to use it at 100yds but it may still shoot high. Start with a 6 o'clock hold.