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40-50BN Trapdoor (Read 1274 times)

jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1493 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	40-50BN Trapdoor Oct 24^th, 2022 at 10:49pm	Print Post
	Finally got to shoot my 40-50BN Trapdoor I have been working on for the last couple of years. Had an old 1884 action and bought a BRC 40 cal barrel then turned it to the original Trapdoor diameter and made it 28 inches long. Used a carbine stock that I added a short piece of wood to the forearm to balance it better. Shooting a 300gr RCBS bullet and some 4198 got some very good groups at 100 yards. Fun to shoot with little recoil. Now I need to put a finish on it and it will be done. JMH


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art_ruggiero Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1090 Location: CT Joined: Dec 14^th, 2008	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #1 - Oct 25^th, 2022 at 9:16am	Print Post
	SHOULD BE A FUN RIFLE ART


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Bulseyetom Oldtimer Online Posts: 960 Location: Santa Maria, Ca Joined: Oct 31^st, 2010	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #2 - Oct 25^th, 2022 at 10:54am	Print Post
	What if anything did you do to the trigger? Tom


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 16149 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #3 - Oct 25^th, 2022 at 11:02am	Print Post
	Never owned a .40-50BN, but have a couple .40-50SS that I own and shoot. The .40-50SS is one of my favorite old BP cartridges to shoot with smokeless. I think the cartridge really shines when loaded with smokeless powders. I have a Schoyen barrel in .40-50SS also that's fitted for a Ballard. Trying to decide which of my Ballard rifles should get it's barrel swapped? Two of my Union Hill rifles have Winchester barrels in .32-40 and .38-55, and thinking one of them will get the .40-50SS Schoyen barrel.

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Zack T Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 354 Joined: Apr 9^th, 2010	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #4 - Oct 25^th, 2022 at 2:43pm	Print Post
	Ive been wanting to build this exact rifle for my oldest as a black powder hunting rifle. Have been looking around for a cadet with a bad bore. Trapdoors make such handy guns in the field and they already have sling swivels ! I like the 40-50sbn a lot and have it in other rifles. Shoots well, easy to load for and Ive never had the hard fouling issues people talk about. And...well...its cute as a button as far as cartridges go.


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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1493 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #5 - Oct 25^th, 2022 at 8:16pm	Print Post
	Didn't do much of anything to the trigger. Just cleaned everything up and checked for burrs etc. Didn't check it for pull. Typical Trapdoor trigger. JMH


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boats Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7552 Location: Virginia Joined: Apr 23^rd, 2004	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #6 - Oct 26^th, 2022 at 8:47am	Print Post
	Trapdoor sear springs used to be easy to find at certain gun shows, around here it was the Civil War show. Get a couple, job is trial and error easy to go too far, and reduce the spring width on a grinder little at a time. Lightning the sear spring tension reduces pull weight by as much as 30% I used to stop after a grind checking the weight, re assembling as I ground. Tuned Trapdoor lock is a very good one, equal to other period rifles. Boats PS DO NOT Alter the hammer or sear engagement. Have seen many try’s, most failures, Arsenal did a very good job on the geometry, kept the pull heavy with spring tension.


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ndnchf Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1052 Joined: Mar 6^th, 2014	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #7 - Oct 26^th, 2022 at 9:06am	Print Post
	No photos? You are teasing us!


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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1493 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #8 - Oct 26^th, 2022 at 9:59pm	Print Post
	I have tried and tried but just can't do photos. If someone is kind enough to PM me with a phone number I can send photo to them to post for me. JMH


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jfeldman ASSRA Board Member Offline Posts: 1083 Location: Imperial Beach, Ca Joined: Nov 5^th, 2005	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #9 - Oct 28^th, 2022 at 2:59pm	Print Post
	Pic for jhm:


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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1493 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #10 - Oct 28^th, 2022 at 3:36pm	Print Post
	Mr Feldman thank you for the help with the picture. The gun turned out ok I guess. The stock I think came from Dixie gun works years ago and was not the best in quality. The lock mortise was a bit large so I did the best I could. Mechanically it works fine and so far the accuracy is good. I have yet to play with some different powers etc. Sure is nice to have folks that are willing to help an old man out. Thanks again... JMH


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Chase Participating Member Offline Posts: 14 Location: Carpinteria, Ca Joined: Nov 4^th, 2021	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #11 - Nov 16^th, 2022 at 11:10pm	Print Post
	Neat rifle and interesting cartridge. I would be curious as to what you used for a front sight as it would need to be fairly tall with the Buffington rear sight. Trapdoors are fun rifles and personally the triggers need help. I agree with boats statement regarding sear and tumbler geometry from the arsenal being thoughtful, but I have never arrived at having anything other than a clean but still a heavy trigger with careful stoning of bearing surfaces and lighting of sear spring. In my experience the relationship between the half cock notch and the full cock notch does not lend itself to shortening the full cock notch. But there are viable work around(s). Anyways jhm, I like your rifle!


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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1493 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: 40-50BN Trapdoor Reply #12 - Nov 17^th, 2022 at 8:42am	Print Post
	Thank you for the kind comment. I am not a master by any means but I do the best I can with what I have. The front sight I made to mimic the original in shape and yes it is a bit taller than I would have liked. I dovetailed it instead of sweating it on because I want to try a Lyman 17A on it later. JMH


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