Tips/Advice - working on custom 1884 Springfield Trapdoor Carbine.

[Peaceful_Gojira]

Hey all, been a few months. Firstly, happy new year and welcome to 2025!

Been a long time coming, but here's some pictures of the fuller condition of my Springfield Trapdoor!

Any comments or questions appreciated and will be responded to, pending the nature of the comment/question and the urgency.

Stay safe, shoot straight!
- PG

 

[Peaceful_Gojira]

(Some more photos, including the hammer assembly behind the hammer plate)

 

[Peaceful_Gojira]

Just as an update: wondering what people think about stock work done, as well as damage control on the pictured butt-plate?

It's rather sad it's been cracked down the ridgeline, but was curious if it'd be worth salvaging it and repairing it's joint, or just to try and forge a new one?
It would be a fun experiment and project to try and replicate a more blued-polish to this butt-plate, but also would be even cooler to try and get a piece of scrap metal, shape it to size, and then try putting on a brass-plated polish/finish to it for added historical appeal.

Obviously, it's beyond original at this point, so I figure it can't hurt to modify it a little more, within reasonable historical-looking scope of things (i.e. not trying to mount a modern optic, throw on a suppressor, replace the stock with a synthetic material stock that folds/collapses, etc. etc.).

As for the stock, I'm at a loss as to what I should do, seeing as the condition internally is rather nasty and needs some heavy elbow-grease, so to speak.

Also side note: I noticed that the ejector does NOT work as intended. Spent brass does not come kicking and screaming out when I open the door all the way. Instead it sort of just pushes it gingerly out a little for me to grab. It's a small thing, but was wondering too if anyone had any ideas on how to approach fixing the ejector? Would love to see that restored to former-glory.

Stay safe, shoot straight.
- PG

 

[Sniperhandle]

It looks like Brass is what the butt plate was made of and you can tig weld brass, I have done it when I was a welder in a fab shop a long time ago.

 

[Peaceful_Gojira]

It looks like Brass is what the butt plate was made of and you can tig weld brass, I have done it when I was a welder in a fab shop a long time ago.

Really? Was it full brass or brass plated? Or even just an iron with brass coating over it?

The color, as you may notice, faded and almost peeled when I removed the soldering from the joint where the crack split the butt-plate in half.
It's since kept it's silver-metallic finish, but was curious: is that really what brass looks like? I'm no thorough, nor well-versed metallurgist, so you could tell me it's made of lead or copper, and I'd half-believe you haha.

All the same: thanks for the prompt reply!

Stay safe, shoot straight.
- PG

 

[Sniperhandle]

Have you tested it with a magnet? It looks like bronze or brass to me, But hey I'm looking at it on a computer screen, I'm not holding it in my hands.

Hit it on a buffer, I bet it takes a shine and looks like gold! Either way, Cast iron can be tig welded too.