Springfield US Model 1884

[usmcsgt65]

This rifle has been in the family about 40 years. It was left to us by a fraternal organization that rented our hall. Can you fill me in on some markings? On barrel close to the breach is V P (maybe) A and small p. On the butt is Y 27.

[colmurph]

You have a Springfield Trapdoor 45-70 which was the last single shot rifle manufactured in a national armory for the US government. The next rifle that came along was the 1896 Krag Jorgenson Bolt Action in .30-40. Your weapon should have a cleaning rod with a slot for a piece of cloth. If your weapon has a cleaning rod with a tip that looks like a phillips screw driver, you have one of the experimental cleaning rod bayonet rifles which is worth a little more than a regular 1884 mod. V P are inspectors marks and the other letters stamped in other parts are subinspectors marks.
The butt markings are probably "Rack" numbers put on by the unit that owned the rifle. VP on the breech has been a mark used since at least 1816 with the Springfield Mod, 1816 Flintlock Musket. You have an excellent deer rifle there. You can fire it with currently manufactured commercial 45/70 ammunition and if you take down a deer you can eat "right up to the hole" as the bullet does not destroy the meat like a modern high velocity rifle will.

[eds]

Col:
We decided my trapdoor had had the stock cut down (there's just one clip for a sling). Is there any rhyme or reason as to the cutting down. Would an armoury cut it down?- a fort? or just some schlepp that bought it to shoot mongooses. Any ideas?
Ed

[colmurph]

Sounds like someone was going to make a "Carbine" out of it then had second thoughts. There were some that were "Sporterized" like that around the turn of the century. Back then you could buy one of them for around $4.00. I guess it would lighten it a little if you cut some of the stock off. They made GR8 deer rifles for short ranges. You can probably pick up a replacement stock for it at a gun show for around $100 or you could check with Dixie Gun Works who also have replacement stocks.

[usmcsgt65]

Thanks for the info. The rifle cannot fire. Whoever gave it to the Order of Elks broke the firing pin and then welded the pin.

[colmurph]

There are a ton of sources for spare parts for trapdoors. All you need to do is put in a replacement 1884 breechblock which you should be able to pick up for around $30.00 complete with firing pin. If the bore will clean up you'll have a fun shooter. I'd replace the stock also, just to add the weight back to the whole assembly. The recoil on this thing is brutal. I have a carbine version of the 1884 that leaves black and blue marks on my shoulder after about 10 rounds. The only solution to the recoil problem I have found is to re-load with 50 grains of FF instead of 70 and go from a 405 grain bullet to a semi-wadcutter in 230 grain.The only weapon I own that kicks more than a 45-70 is a Sharps 1865 conversion in 50-70 that I only take to the range when I want to have a little "Sport" with a "Knowitall". LOL
I weigh 250 lbs. and the 50-70 about puts me on my tail. The boys in the Civil war were firing a slightly reduced load as the powder back then wasn't as good, but I still don't know how they managed to put up with it.