50-70 Questions

[randy langford]

The Trapdoor pictured is for sale locally the man thinks it is one of the rare carbine versions here is his description "It is chambered in 50/70. Very nice rifle for its age and still retains about 50% of the original bluing. These rifles where .58 caliber during the civil war then rechambered in 1870 to shoot the 50/70 cartridge. According to all the research I have done there was only 341 of these carbine models made with the 1863/1870 dates" I am thinking it is a cut down rifle.

[Tkacook]

I say cut down rifle too. The band and front sight tell me that. The 1866 models were modified CW rifles and .58 caliber barrels lined down to 50-70.

Here's a page on the model 1870 carbine.
http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/m70.html

Here's Dick Hosmer's 1870 carbine for reference.
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/9187668

[butlersrangers]

It looks like there is damage to this trap-door's receiver. Metal appears to be missing from the right 'hinge', that acts as a bearing & support for the tip of hinge pin and breech-block.

FWIW - This Springfield looks like a cut-down rifle to me. The barrel-band may be from a French Arm (?).

aaa springfield 5070.jpg

[Dick Hosmer]

It is a butchered M1868 Rifle, not worth owning, even as a knockabout shooter, due to the damaged receiver.

[randy langford]

Thank you as I suspected not worth my time to go and look at .