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Author Topic: New Acquisitions: Vetterli & Springfield Model 1873  (Read 5208 times)

Offline bkoenig

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Re: New Acquisitions: Vetterli & Springfield Model 1873
« Reply #20 on: March 13, 2010, 09:10:00 PM »
Sounds good, drop me a line and we'll go make some smoke.

Offline OnTheFly

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Re: New Acquisitions: Vetterli & Springfield Model 1873
« Reply #21 on: March 26, 2010, 10:01:38 PM »
I got the number for Schlereth's Gun Repair on west A street just outside of Lincoln.  I called and decided to take my Springfield Model 1873 to him.  He is going to take it apart and thoroughly clean it.  He noticed a crack in the stock just aft of the trap door.  He is going to repair that so it will not fracture any further.

I was very happy to see the look on his face when I presented the rifle to him.  He commented that this was one of the top end examples of an 1873 that he has seen.  Not his exact words, but that was the gist.  He also said that many people wouldn't even shoot it and would rather preserve it since the value is quite high.  Even though the gun may be worth $XXXX, it really does not mean anything to me.  I intend to pass my firearms down to my son or daughter (if she shows any interest) so I will never realize any monetary gain from them.  My only concern is that I don't want to take a family heirloom and harm it in any way.

I know I must be careful about the ammo I use and clean it thoroughly like my other guns, but my larger concern is the normal dents and scratches which can happen during a day at the range.

I guess my question is...Am I wrong to want to occasionally shoot it if I am cautious?

As far as ammo, I have found some smokeless ammo from Ultramax.  Would like to avoid BP for fear that I wouldn't get some residue that could start some corrosion on my treasure.  I wrote Ultramax to ask if it would be safe in a vintage trapdoor rifle, and they said it "should" be fine in my rifle.  Anyone with experience have a suggestion?

Fly
Si vis pacem, para bellum

Offline bkoenig

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Re: New Acquisitions: Vetterli & Springfield Model 1873
« Reply #22 on: March 27, 2010, 12:07:53 AM »
Don't look back, don't hesitate, shoot it!

Don't worry about shooting real black powder, it's actually much easier to clean up than you think.  The real stuff is water soluble, so it dissolves easily.  I clean my Sharps with nothing more than soapy water.  When I clean my rifle I run wet patches through the barrel until they come out clean, then a brush to knock loose any residue, then more wet patches until they're clean again.  Then I push dry patches through until the bore is bone dry, and then I oil it.  That regimen may be overkill, but I actually enjoy cleaning guns :D  It sounds like a pain, but in reality it takes less time to clean a black powder cartridge rifle than it does to get the copper out of a modern rifle bore.  You're talking maybe 5 minutes of work.

This rifle was made for black powder.  Generally speaking, you can't fit enough BP into a cartridge to harm a gun.  If you shoot the holy black in your rifle you know it will always be safe.  Just clean it well and you have nothing to fear.

« Last Edit: March 27, 2010, 12:09:40 AM by bkoenig »