1866 Trapdoor Odd markings

[John S.]

Before you go swapping spring, hold your 1873 spring alongside the one already there, and see if there is a difference in location of the shoulder. If not, then don't bother changing.

You can use a punch from your toolbox, but remember, there is a "bandspring and tumbler punch" tool made specifically for that purpose. (That give you an excuse to go buy one to add a correct tool!)

Look carefully at the photo of the lower band, and you can see that the barrel shows brighter for about 1/8" ahead of the band, where it would have been protected if a wider M1861 band were in place for much of its life.

Since M1866 rifles were conversions of existing .58 muskets, it is possible that a M1861 stock was on one of the rifles disassembled and the stocks put into the piles waiting to have the horseshoe modification, and one of Hosmer's ancestors failed to see it was just a tiny bit different and it made it all the way through the conversion process. Passed final inspection?? Or if detected, sold off as scrap/surplus and married with M1866 parts later by Bannerman or similar?

[Solidleadslug]

Well gentleman, I have found the culprit in these I'll fitting bands. Turns out, the inletting on all three barrel band springs is exactly 0.125 of an inch higher that it should be. A side by side comparison with two other 66s shows a similar issue with the layout. Or am I mistaken when jhon s explained the wider bands of the muskets and they are supposed to be there?

Now, could some surplus dealer gone through all the trouble to mimic an arsenal 1866 only to fumble the spring inletting and upside down 1866? Or did an apprentice make a mistake and successful push the rifle through the QC process?

I've worked in a sheetmetal shop for a number of years and could only relate to that scenario since I was that apprentice a time or two.

[Solidleadslug]

Also, It may look in the picture as if the rifles or stocks are of different length, they are not. But now question is, what is the difference between an 1861 and 1863 stock? Are the barrel band springs different or did they just move the position of the inletting for the springs?

[carlsr]

Also, It may look in the picture as if the rifles or stocks are of different length, they are not. But now question is, what is the difference between an 1861 and 1863 stock? Are the barrel band springs different or did they just move the position of the inletting for the springs?

I believe the 1861 rifle stock had clamping bands which did not require band springs. There was no inletting for the band springs.

[John S.]

The M1863 used the clamping bands and no band springs.
The M1864 (aka M1863 type 2) added band springs back in place.

The official "list of change" may or may not help.
https://www.armscollectors.com/trapdoor ... 5-1873.pdf

[Dick Hosmer]

Since I'm pretty sure the wood shoulders didn't move. I'd suspect the spring mortises may have been floated forward. If that is the case, replacing the band springs will not fix the problem. As to Uncle Zeke, he was known to have Southern leanings, and was probably doing his bit to sabotage the Yankee muskets.....

Someone with an 1861 should check the mortise locations - ARE they closer to the tip?

FWIW, the chart does show several changes in band springs. At first I thought the '73 might show a different part because of the new blued finish, but it shows 1868, so that is not the case.