Odd Springfield trigger guard.

[TNBandit]

Bought this stuff on Ebay last week because I'm gathering parts to build an 1861 Springfield rifle using as many original parts as I can. The auction listing said they came from a Bridesburg rifle they had parted out. Stock & barrel had been shortened with the barrel being 33" long. Well, totally my fault but I completely missed the fact that the trigger guard has no provision for a sling swivel. I knew the buttplate had been modified and considered that a freebie. They didn't even get the holes centered when they drilled them. I was after the trigger assembly. Well it arrived today and that's when I realized it has no place for a sling mount. Being familiar with the 1873 Trapdoor rifles I know this may have come from an 1873 Carbine which used a ring on the side rather than a trigger guard mounting. But the other parts the man was selling were all from the same rifle and his lock assembly was clearly a Civil War era Bridesburg lock. So... my question is, were there any Civil War era Springfields made by any of the sub contractors, that had this type of trigger guard ? If not it's fine since I think I got a good deal on these parts and Trapdoor Carbine parts are getting hard to find as well.

 

[Craig L Barry]

Well if it was an original US model trigger guard assembly of the Civil War-era it would have the provision for a sling swivel.

 

[TNBandit]

As I suspected. It is an original Springfield trigger guard but for a Model 1873 Trapdoor carbine. In fact all of the internal lock parts and most of the trigger assembly parts with the exception of the bow (with or without sling provision) are the same from 1855 to 1888. When they made the 1873 Carbines all they did was eliminate the hole for the sling mount and add a ring to the side instead. I was curious if any other Springfield models came without the hole for the sling mount. I'm going to consider this solved. If I had to guess I'd say it might be from a Bannerman rifle since they made tens of thousands using surplus parts after the war from whatever they had in the bins. Thank you.

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

You will notice a bit of "non-roundness" on the front leg of the bow. That's where the swivel was on this trapdoor rifle part before someone decided to mill off the swivel part to make this look like a carbine bow. You can buy trapdoor rifle guards for $30 all day long, but a carbine guard will cost you $150 or so. Lots of these old rifle parts were "improved" to make them look like carbine parts.

 

[TNBandit]

You will notice a bit of "non-roundness" on the front leg of the bow. That's where the swivel was on this trapdoor rifle part before someone decided to mill off the swivel part to make this look like a carbine bow. You can buy trapdoor rifle guards for $30 all day long, but a carbine guard will cost you $150 or so. Lots of these old rifle parts were "improved" to make them look like carbine parts.

I see that now. Makes sense. So where are these $30 Trapdoor guards ? I'd buy one and just swap it out. It's my understanding the Trapdoor rifle bows are the same as the Civil War rifles.

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

google al frasca, author of a two volume set on the trapdoor, and you can find his web site with lots of info.
For some reason, I had thought the model 1861 did not interchange with the trapdoor guards.

 

[TNBandit]

google al frasca, author of a two volume set on the trapdoor, and you can find his web site with lots of info.
For some reason, I had thought the model 1861 did not interchange with the trapdoor guards.

I've bought stuff from Al in the past. Good guy. I'll have to email him because on his site he only lists complete assemblies.
It's my understanding that the guards are the same except the early Trapdoor sling mounts were pinned on and the later ones had a screw. I believe the Civil War guns were pinned.

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

He has listings also for all the various parts and pieces of trapdoors - it is a good reference to see the variations. It is true that he lists the plate and the bow and trigger as a single item.

 

[TNBandit]

He has listings also for all the various parts and pieces of trapdoors - it is a good reference to see the variations. It is true that he lists the plate and the bow and trigger as a single item.

I must be doing something wrong. I am not finding the parts listed individually. All I find is this.. Edited to update. I just spoke with Al and he dosn't have one. https://trapdoorcollector.com//TrigParts.html

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

Yes, as I said, he listed the plate, bow and trigger as a single item for a single price.
Is the trapdoor rifle part identical to the springfield 1855/1861/1863 part, do you know?

 

[TNBandit]

Yes, as I said, he listed the plate, bow and trigger as a single item for a single price.
Is the trapdoor rifle part identical to the springfield 1855/1861/1863 part, do you know?

I'm 99% sure they are the same, yes although I have seen Brass ones listed for the Model 1855 as an option. I am sure it's the same between the 1861, 1863 and 1873 Trapdoors though. I have been told that some of the old Bannerman catalogs had a chart that listed what parts will interchange but I haven't been able to find my copy. I go by the catalogs from some of the parts companies and compare part numbers from one model to the next.