After hearing all the glowing reports of everyone's experiences with the 50 70's it made it onto my bucket list. With that thought in the back of my mind I believed it would take some time to acquire one of my own, but I didn't think it would happen this soon.
Our CAS club holds a new shooters clinic every year. This years clinic is next weekend and we always get a table at the Denver gun show just before to hand out flyers and talk up the clinic. I was working our table today and someone just happen to walk by with this trapdoor over his shoulder. Now I already own 2 45 70 TD's but I called him over to talk. He told me he had a 1873 in 50 70 and handed it over so I cold take a look at it. I could tell immediately it wasn't a 73 but I'll have to admit I wasn't sure what exactly I had in my hands at the time. It was easy to point out that the fact that someone had replaced the rear sight with a Williams peep and the front sight with something equally as modern, ruining the collector value. The rifle is in good shape, tight enough to shoot. A barrel light reviled good, maybe not great rifling with very little pitting. He wanted to turn it into cash and I was only too happy to help him out. After a good bit of dickering he walked away from the table with a smile on his face and $450 dollars in his pocket.
It wasn't until I was sure he was long gone before I let the smile (twice as big as his) begin to show on my face. After things slowed down in the afternoon I placed an order for 100 Starline brass with my powder guy (that brass aint cheep). I also found a set of RCBS 50 70 dies at the show for $20 and I felt fulfilled.
When I got home I pulled out the Fladermans and decided that I'm the proud owner of an 1868 rifle. The barrel length is correct, side plate is dated 1863, and the breach block is dated 1870 with all the proper markings on the steel. Found that S&S sells a reproduction rear sight that looks like it should screw into the single hole the Williams sight is currently attached with and a front sight that I'll have to get Run N Iron to attach for me.
If someone can recommend a source for good commercially cast 50 Cal. bullet I'll be one happy camper.