I know from reading many posts the topic of ammo and what kind is safe to shoot in an old Trapdoor has been well covered. Over Christmas I became the owner of an early 1873 Springfield Trapdoor rifle. I say early because that's what I was told. It has a four digit serial number (4927) and I was also told it has never received any armory upgrades.

From what I read and what I see on the gun, that is the case. So in reading about the correct ammo I see obviously the gun must be in good shape and hot ammo for modern 45-70s is to be avoided. Further, it seems that jacketed projectiles are also to be avoided. Reduced recoil 405 gr RNFP lead bullets seem to win out as what to use. One video I watched said you should go further and load your own using black powder so you were as close to original as possible. I was thinking I had it figured out and bought two boxes of Fiocchi cowboy action reduced recoil 405 grain lead RNFP ammo. Then I read one more post. I'm not sure, as I have read so many, but I believe it was on gunboards that I saw it. Anyway, the question was something like, if you have an early trapdoor with a "high arch" breech block what ammo should you use and I believe the response was "they were not safe to fire in 1873 that's why they changed out that part so no ammo made today is safe to fire in it."

Oh no! I had no plans to shoot it very often but I had thought I would take it out at least once. Now I read unsafe at any speed! It has been completely dismantled, inspected, and reassembled by a credible gunsmith and I received a letter stating it was in excellent condition.

So, with an early high arch breech block, is there anything safe to use in it, again assuming that it is in good condition?

My first Trapdoor turned out to be a fencing musket so this is the first one that I was hoping was range worthy.

I know this is one of those topics that has been beat to death and in the end most seem to support the position that if the weapon is indeed in good shape then reduced recoil lead projectile ammo should be fine. This was just the first time I'd seen someone call into question the safety of the early high arch breech block so I thought I'd ask the experts.

Thoughts and advice welcome.