Trapdoor Rifles

Greetings all,

About 30 years ago I got started into black powder shooting. I started with muzzle loaders then decided to get involved with black powder cartridge. I briefly looked into trapdoors but after reading so many warnings about fakes and not knowing any local experts I ended up getting a nice modern Shilo to shoot. Fast forward today, I am again interested in trapdoors. I still don’t know anyone local to consult but have bought some books and have been reading up on the subject. I would like a carbine to shoot as I have a couple of rifles in 45/70. It is my understanding that since the demand for carbines is higher than full length rifles that they are more likely to be faked. With no local guns to buy my option seems to be online sites like Gun Broker and Guns International. My main question is, how prevalent is faked carbines? I am not looking for a rare collectible but a good shooter so am not looking for an investment. My reading has let me identify some listings that are suspect but the majority of guns seem to be right. Is the level of workmanship in the production of fakes so high that casual buyers are not able to spot them?

Thanks

Mark- Welcome! You found the right place.

Now, here is my opinion, which may differ from others, and everyone is free to agree or disagree.

You are correct that there are a lot of "carbines" with "problems, especially early guns purported to be Custer guns.
Since you are not looking for one of those, that makes like a lot easier. Look for a Model 1879 or 1884 carbine and skip the early problems and fakery.

Now, since you are mainly looking for a shooter, not a collector investment gun, my blasphemous suggestion would be to find a rifle which has been nicely altered to carbine configuration and shoot the heck out of it. Handling wise and accuracy it would be the same as a "real carbine" costing 3-5 times more, and eliminate the risk of boogering a nice collector piece on trips to the range.

Folks here often opine on the originality or desirability of guns being offered elsewhere, so feel free to post a link to one you want to hear more about from unbiased folks. Some sellers are ignorant crooks, others are honest but poorly informed, and others are both honest and well informed, so a seller's description may or may not be very accurate.

Some folks here are regular shooters of trapdoors and can offer tips on their loading practices for best accuracy.

Anyway, that's MY free advice which comes with a full money back guarantee.

Very sound advice, all of it.

I, for one, would be only too happy to vet anything you might be in interested in, whether it be a shooter as John recommends, or a real one. He makes an excellent point of shying completely away from anything "early" (50,000 would be a good cut-off) since that is where 95% of the chicanery takes place.