H&R 1873 Trap Door and Black Powder

[cat1870]

Has anyone had any luck with blackpowder in your .45-70 H&R 1873 Trap Door?

Cat

[rbertalotto]

Do a search for Custer...........I heard he had some issues..............




Sorry...........It's Friday!

[cat1870]

Do a search for Custer...........I heard he had some issues..............

There's got to be 1 in every crowd......




Sorry...........It's Friday!

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I don't have a trapdoor, but they were designed for the Original Gunpowder wern't they?

The standard procedures for loading BP cartridges should apply.
- Avoid heavy petroleum products around your piece
- Use a BP compatible bullet lube in a bullet with substantial lube grooves, or use a lube cookie
- Fill the case with enough powder so a seated bullet compresses it slightly (FFg for larger rounds, FFFg for smaller-generally)
- clean up, both gun & cases, after with hot water and soap plus your favorite cleaners, and protect the gun from rust afterwards with a recommended BP lubricant

Sorry if I am teaching an Ol Dog new tricks, but at least this time I avoided the bad jokes!

[PJ Hardtack]

I've got both an H&R carbine and the OM. They handle BP with aplomb. Why wouldn't they?

[cat1870]

Somewhere down the line I'd heard that they didn't handle BP very well.
Haven't tried yet but as soon as my rear sight arrives it's sure going to have a work out..

[sail32]

Trapdoorcollectors.com has some discussion on H&R trapdoors in their Discussion Board. A locking issue, as well as other information.
I have been shooting a Pedersoli Trapdoor rifle with the following load.

Starline brass, standard primer hole.
70 grains of GOEX FFg, compresses about 0.50 inches, to get a proper roll crimp.
Lee 405 grain hollow base bullet
Federal Magnum primers.

The loads is clean burning with powder specs left in the bore.

[PJ Hardtack]

I've heard about this alleged "locking problem" with H&R Trapdoors. I've shot mine with 36 grs 3031/405 gr and 28 grs 5744 loads just fine.

If there is a "locking problem", I'm unaware of it - with my rifles.

[cat1870]

I've had 5 of the H&R Trapdoors over the past 25 years..  All had the trap fly open when fired upon occasion, except the one I have now.    This one I'll keep if it will shoot as well as the others....

[Professor Marvel]

I've had 5 of the H&R Trapdoors over the past 25 years..  All had the trap fly open when fired upon occasion, except the one I have now.    This one I'll keep if it will shoot as well as the others....

That issue is due to a "modern design" problem - H&R changed the original lockup for ease of manufacture, but there is a fix.

copying from here:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126537

"originals are a one-piece with the thumb piece on the shaft and locking cam with the bridle between the cam and thumbpiece that screws into the side of the block, holding it all together.
The H&R and Pedersoli rifles on the other hand don't use the bridle and the cam is seperate from the shaft and thumbpiece and is instead held on by a set screw. Now the difference between the H&R and Pedersoli repros is that the shaft where this set screw sits on the Pedersoli rifles is square where the H&R is round."
...
"On the H&R however with the shaft being round, the set screw doesn't have that good of a purchase on the shaft and if it loosens just a little bit, can lead to big problems. Problems like either not being able to open the breech at all (push on the thumbpiece and it and the shaft just spin under the cam) or worse, with the tang of the thumbpiece no longer held securely under the hammer, the block can fly open under full pressure and spit the empty case back at the shooter! Yes, it does happen, I've seen it a few times both when it locked up the rifle and when it blew empty cases out.
But now for the good news. It's an easy fix. There's three methods you can use to cure this problem.
First is to remove the cam and slide the shaft out, file a flat spot on the shaft where the set screw sits and put it back together. The flat spot gives the screw a better area on the shaft to set against and won't allow the shaft to spin under the cam.
The second method is to remove the shaft and cam again then drill a small hole where the set screw sits so again, you have a better surface.
The third method is not one I recommend by itself but is an option if you want to keep the H&R absolutely original and that is to simply loc-tite the set scew into the cam. Yeah, keeps it from backing out but doesn't make for a better area.
Personally, I like method one and as either of the first two methods, use a bit of loc-tite on the screw too. Now you will have a flat surface so the cam can't spin on the shaft and the loc-tite will prevent the scew from backing out during use as well. See, it's an easy fix and you get the strongest trapdoor out there to boot."

good luck, hope this helps
yhs
prof marvel