(A collection of previous entries)
I blame everyone here: Walking thru a small gunshop in a St Louis suburb today, and there sits an H&R Officers Model midst the black rifles. Pristine condition, reasonable price, and a quarterly safety bonus in the account.
Should make a nice skirmish rifle.
An original for reference:
http://www.nramuseum.org/the-museum/the-galleries/the-american-west/case-40-expanding-the-frontier/springfield-officer's-model-trapdoor-rifle.aspxH&Rs version:
https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-for-sale-online/rifles/harrington---richardson-rifles/h-r-1873-trapdoor-officers-model-45-70.cfm?gun_id=101113083 ------------------------------------------------------------
Check the set screw on the cam shaft frequently. If it ever comes loose, dimple the shaft then locktite the dang screw in. Then screw a 2nd one on top of it.
-------------------------------------------------------------
https://montanavintagearms.com/product/mva-combination-front-sight/ ------------------------------------------------------------
Took it out to the farm today: OE and Triple 7 carbine loads. The 8 groove H&R rifling prefers the 777, though both loads shot into 3" at 100 yards off the bench. I intend to replace the front sight with the MVA "beach" sight eventually, but will probably keep the rear tang sight, it works better than I thought it would, and stays upright under recoil, good for Skirmish shooting. I'll need to scribe it for different ranges when I get the chance. It is an accurate reproduction of the original, and I understand it better having used it. Not a precision sight, but it's not a precision rifle.
Using this bullet:
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=46-405COne of these really helps the recoil:
https://www.accu-riser.com/leather-butt-pad-bp-2000/Though it does not appear to have been shot much, it seems someone did secure the locking cam with double set screws. Hopefully they dimpled the shaft, but I doubt I'll have any problems with it.
----------------------------------------------------------
Having said that, I ran across this:
https://stores.leeshavergunsmithing.com/muzzleloaders-and-trapdoor-rifles-economy-mid-range-soule/I called Mr. Shaver, and he makes them to fit the existing mount on the rifle. You do need to call if you want this specific pattern. I have one ordered, be a week to 10 days to ship, will report when it arrives.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Installed one of these, standard on the original OM:
https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index/page/product/product_id/6643/category/391/category_chain/350,389,391/product_name/WP0700+Detachable+Wood+Pistol+Grip ------------------------------------------------------------
Put 21 rounds of 45-70 thru my H&R this afternoon, loaded with 47 grains (By weight) 2f 777. Getting the sights readjusted. Nice tight 3 shot* groups at 200 yards, no cleaning until I went home. That just fills a Starline case to the base of an Accurate 46-405c bullet. Been running around 3 moa bench rested. Good stuff in the H&R barrel.
I would prefer real black, but the H&R has made it clear this is what it wants.
*Steel plate at 200 yards. Shoot 3 rounds, walk to the plate, paint over, walk back, adjust, shoot 3 more shots, repeat. Good exercise.
----------------------------------------------------------
Ran the OM at the Grand Muster this past week. Whole match, no cleaning with the above loads, including long range. Properly set up, this is a match winning rifle.