Trapdoor Rifles

Went to the Oaks PA. Gun show yesterday. Has been a while since I attended the BIG SHOW as there are more pickles, beef jerky and clothing then guns.
I was mainly looking to see if any of the vendors with parts had a firing pin for a Miller Conversion but no luck there. I did find one vendor out of around 2000 tables who had large rifle primers, didn't like the price but I squeezed out his asking price
Ran across a vendor with plastic trays filled with parts with one marked Trapdoor. Pulled it open and there were the normal abundant stuff along with several Mod 1879 tools. Figured I'd go through them and amazed I was to find one with no date!! Had to stare at it a while, under a light just to be sure but no date.
I have seen only 2 of these, one is for sale on Mcpheeters sight and another on Grandpa's gun parts and both are over 100.00.
I promptly paid the going price for a standard tool!!
Just proves that a blind squirrel can find a nut
Here are a couple pics

I found one on Ebay about a year ago. I also paid the regular price a marked one sells for. I think it was the first unmarked one I had ever run across.

I have seen three types, One without date one with date but looks almost engraved rather than stamped and one with a deeply stamped MOD 1879. also when looking at them close enough you do see some mild differences in them. I do remember also reading about the slight differences somewhere possibly in Als book but cant say for sure. If i can remember correctly the ones without dates were made later on after the dated ones.

Chris wrote: ↑Sun Oct 22, 2023 7:03 pm I have seen three types, One without date one with date but looks almost engraved rather than stamped and one with a deeply stamped MOD 1879. also when looking at them close enough you do see some mild differences in them. I do remember also reading about the slight differences somewhere possibly in Als book but cant say for sure. If i can remember correctly the ones without dates were made later on after the dated ones.

Model 1879 screwdriver approved in 1877 ordered fabricated after 1876 screwdrivers were consumed. 6,188 model 1879 screwdrivers were first made without the model stamping. Book II page 355.
First made did not have the stamping.
I have not seen or read about ones that look scribed. Where did you see or read about those as I didn't see them in Al's book. I'll have to look in the news letters, maybe they are in those?

throck3 wrote: ↑Sun Oct 22, 2023 5:26 pm I found one on Ebay about a year ago. I also paid the regular price a marked one sells for. I think it was the first unmarked one I had ever run across.

Nice finding a scarce item at a great price

carlsr wrote: ↑Sun Oct 22, 2023 7:40 pm

Chris wrote: ↑Sun Oct 22, 2023 7:03 pm I have seen three types, One without date one with date but looks almost engraved rather than stamped and one with a deeply stamped MOD 1879. also when looking at them close enough you do see some mild differences in them. I do remember also reading about the slight differences somewhere possibly in Als book but cant say for sure. If i can remember correctly the ones without dates were made later on after the dated ones.

Model 1879 screwdriver approved in 1877 ordered fabricated after 1876 screwdrivers were consumed. 6,188 model 1879 screwdrivers were first made without the model stamping. Book II page 355.
First made did not have the stamping.
I have not seen or read about ones that look scribed. Where did you see or read about those as I didn't see them in Al's book. I'll have to look in the news letters, maybe they are in those?

You are correct my mistake the ones without the date were first produced. On the differences I noticed are on the stamped one and the scribed tool. The angle on tip of wrench is slightly different and the rivet looked slightly different between the two. is what I noticed. Its possible i read about the differences on the old trapdoor forum.