[Lazy H E]

I recently purchased my first Springfield Trapdoor Carbine. It was advertised as a re-blued original and I didn’t pay much for it, just wanted a decent shooter.

When I slugged the barrel to determine what size cast bullet to order I discovered that the barrel has six lands and grooves. It slugged to .459. My understanding was that all originals had three lands and grooves. The barrel has what appears to me to be original barrel marking proofs – VP/Eagle Head at the rear next to the breech. The breech block is marked 1884. It has a Buffington rear sight and what appears to me to be the correct pinned front sight. It also has the late style butt plate with storage for cleaning rods.

I am aware that the import reproductions – Pedersoli, Uberti, etc. have six groove barrels. Did they have original proof marks? I can find no import marks on the barrel and the Buffington rear and pinned front don’t make sense on them anyway. Did anyone make a six-land/groove barrel for the Springfield Trapdoor Carbine or am I mistaken that the originals were all three land/groove?

 

[kdub]

Tom -

My carbine (possibly a rifle cut down) is also the 1884 model with the Buffington rear sight. Barrel is 3 very shallow grooves with the following stamping near the breech:

V
P
(eagle)
P
then an "A" on the right-of-center side that must be read from the right side.

Sounds like a Google search for Springfield Trapdoors may be in order.