A comparison of two early trapdoors

**Fred** · 09-27-2021, 04:19

I’ll bet that this stock was selected for it’s beauty by the fellows in the tool room at Springfield Armory.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...=175&crop=fill

**Tkacook** · 09-27-2021, 06:26

Great pictures, Fred!

**Dick Hosmer** · 09-27-2021, 06:30

You're making real progress! But there are shadows, and your cloth has a pattern. The gun CANNOT just be laid on the backer!

Either color or B&W works, as I can remove all color - I know you are trying to emphasize the blued band and I think that will come through in B&W (obviously it will be noted in text as well).

That is a converted musket stock as it only has two cartouches. Most 1868s have four - all interesting points to be noted.

Thanks for working with me on the project!

Did you get a response on 107? I would not be surprised if you don't.

**Fred** · 09-27-2021, 07:23

Originally Posted by Tkacook

Great pictures, Fred!

Hey, thanks! ��

**Fred** · 09-27-2021, 08:26

**Fred** · 09-27-2021, 10:06

[QUOTE=Did you get a response on 107? I would not be surprised if you don't.[/QUOTE]

No word as of yet.

**Dick Hosmer** · 09-27-2021, 10:43

At last - the witness-mark pic is the first and only so far to depict what I mean about no pattern or shadows. It would be perfectly usable. I do not think there is anything special to the band spring - the smooth outside curve was likely not a gauged shape since in doesn't mesh with anything else. Having seen too many variations to count, I think that was free-form ground and polished. What is the fill? Spoon? '66 spring?

**Fred** · 09-28-2021, 01:47

Dick I still think the front band spring was a different shape that was being considered.
I’ve Never ever seen one like it on a SA long arm before but I have on something, possibly it was on Remington made Rolling Blocks...?
I think it’s a better spring. But I think that it wasn’t adopted because there were still so many Civil War springs still left to use
There is no spoon in the stock and no provision for one.
The wood inlay or fill is where the 66 extractor spring would be.
The number 2 in pencil marking is interesting. Did it indicate that there were a few more stocks like this? I think probably among the very first 10 rifles assembled.

**Dick Hosmer** · 09-28-2021, 09:07

What am I missing on the spring? Are we talking about the profile of the swoopy-doopy curve, or something else?

**Fred** · 09-28-2021, 09:25

Yes. The contour is, in my humble opinion, intentional and actually is a better design.
I think it was placed on the upper band so that it could be studied easier to assess for adoption.
The rear band spring was one of the standard type to compare it to.
As I mentioned earlier, I believe that the decision was made to Not adopt it though because there was already a ready supply of the standard band springs.
SA was of course at that time constrained by the need to save money.

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