1884 Cadet - Very Confused and need help identifying

[ChevyBlazerBoy]

Hello folks. I am new to this site after searching around for trapdoor information I landed here most of the time :). I am an avid collector but just recently got my first springfield trap door. (i'm working backwards from WWII I guess). Though I am confused as to whether it is a Mutt of a cadet or not. What has me confused is the Model 1884 serial number 330825 puts it right at 1886 and according to all the books no cadets were made in 1886. I began doing a check on the gun. Barrel measures 29.6 from the inside. Stock is 45.5 inches long. overall length of gun is 48.9. Butt stock is 1.5 inches thick. The measurements all check out. I determined it wasn't a cut down gun because diameter at muzzle is .730 and crowned. I figured if it was a cut down model it would have been larger diameter because the barrels are tapered. Cleaning Rod looks wrong and it is bent at the end. It looks nothing like what the books have. I DO know that stock has been replaced at some point in its life with an 1893 cadet type 2 stock withswivels, cartouge and p stamp. I am just trying to figure out if this is actually a true cadet with updated stock or a cadet barrel on a infantry rifle receiver with an updated cadet stock. Either way i think it will be a good shooter. Barrel is in pretty good shape and I can't wait to fire it but first have to reload some BP rounds for it. Attached are some pictures and I would appreciate anybodys thoughts on this. If anybody has access to SRS maybe that would help verify if it was a true cadet? ~ Josh

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt132/ChevyBlazerBoy/IMG_3056.jpg

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt132/ChevyBlazerBoy/IMG_3065.jpg

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt132/ChevyBlazerBoy/IMG_3064.jpg

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt132/ChevyBlazerBoy/IMG_3107.jpg

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt132/ChevyBlazerBoy/IMG_3063.jpg

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt132/ChevyBlazerBoy/IMG_3077.jpg

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt132/ChevyBlazerBoy/IMG_3073.jpg

[Dick Hosmer]

Chances are it was not assembled at SA as you see it now - however, that is the last year of production, and, cadets were the last arms assembled, using up parts on hand, so, it could possibly be a virgin - IF a receiver got kicked under a bench, or they tore a gun down for parts, or something like that - but the odds are very long. The most likely scenario definitely involves Billy-Bob. The rod is some sort of abortion - no idea as what it may have been in its' former life. This also tends to support the aformentioned likely scenario. Not a bad looking gun at all - have fun!

[ChevyBlazerBoy]

Thanks for the info. Does appear to be a Billy Bob unless the only other thing I have found in my research is a couple of Cadets that had serial numbers in close proximity to mine and those were marked University of Minnesota or some other locations. Those same ranges were in the year 1886 where they supposedly didn't make any cadets but obviously there were cadets made during that year if other people have them.

[Dick Hosmer]

Depends on which chart you are using - some are more accurate than others. Also, in 1895, and again in 1901, some rifles were modified into cadets. Most, but surely not all were stamped with later cartouches, but the serial numbers could have come from almost anywhere. I have an 1884 type 1 cadet with altered stock, stamped JSA/1895 (he was a Krag inspector). S/N is 368714, when no such arms were made - yet it is "right".

[sdkrag]

Very nice bore. I wish mine was that nice.