Author Topic: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?  (Read 12120 times)

Offline pony express

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #20 on: August 05, 2012, 09:50:02 PM »
If it favors the roller, then I want the runt of the litter. Don't see those Navy Rolling Block pistols often!

Offline Drydock

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #21 on: August 05, 2012, 09:56:30 PM »
Yeah, well I want the Trapdoor runt.  Now there's a rare handgun!
Civilize them with a Krag . . .

Offline Delmonico

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #22 on: August 05, 2012, 10:37:17 PM »
Yeah, well I want the Trapdoor runt.  Now there's a rare handgun!

Sort of, there were some for sale a few years back, Hollywood pirate guns, rigged to strike a flint, but to shoot a blank.

A friend sent me the info a bunch of Hollywood guns.  The one they had was really cool, would have been neat to own.  You could then tell folks you didn't cry when Old Yaller died, but you owned the gun they shot him with. ;D
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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #23 on: Today at 08:04:42 PM »

Offline Drydock

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #23 on: August 05, 2012, 10:57:12 PM »
For Ned: scroll down a bit.

http://trapdoorcollector.com/TDNews.html


For Del: thinking of one of these!

http://trapdoorcollector.com/cal50.html
Civilize them with a Krag . . .

Offline Charles Isaac

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #24 on: August 06, 2012, 08:49:24 AM »
Outstanding information Gentlemen! We now know that the Marines were using the Allin system as early as 1870! It was accepted knowledge that the Marines were not issued the trapdoor until 1884, immediately deploying to Panama with brand new guns, but that piece of info needs to be changed to "did not become standard issue until 1884."

The assault performed by 650 Marines and sailors on Kangwha Island in 1871 left 243 Koreans and three Americans dead. Five artillery batteries in all had fallen, and 481 pieces of artillery were destroyed. I had taken it for granted that the Marines and Sailors performed this assault with the .50 caliber Rolling Block, but read in Leatherneck Magazine 20 something years ago that the assault was performed with Springfield .58 caliber Rifled Muskets-and this was in 1871!

This latest info shows that the history of Naval Service small arms is still being written!

Offline pony express

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #25 on: August 06, 2012, 07:50:13 PM »

http://trapdoorcollector.com/cal50.html

WOW, I want one of those too! But since only 2 were ever made, I guess I'm not gonna have one just like it. Maybe if I could find some loose trapdoor parts...................

Maybe add a shoulder stock and little bit longer barrel, like the one muzzle loader .58 dragoon pistol they made(I think maybe it was 1855 model, not sure)

Offline US Scout

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #26 on: August 06, 2012, 07:50:56 PM »
The assault performed by 650 Marines and sailors on Kangwha Island in 1871 left 243 Koreans and three Americans dead. Five artillery batteries in all had fallen, and 481 pieces of artillery were destroyed. I had taken it for granted that the Marines and Sailors performed this assault with the .50 caliber Rolling Block, but read in Leatherneck Magazine 20 something years ago that the assault was performed with Springfield .58 caliber Rifled Muskets-and this was in 1871!


With the exception of the Marine detachment off the USS Colorado (if I remember correctly) who carried 1870 Navy RB carbines ashore, courtesy of the ship's captain who wanted "his" Marines to be better armed.  Somewhere I've a photo of some sailors and Marines from the Colorado, with a Marine holding a carbine.  

You know as well as I do that up until only recently, Marines usually were on the tail end of the government supply chain, getting improved firearms long after the Army had been using them.  Not that way now fortunately.    

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Offline Charles Isaac

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #27 on: August 07, 2012, 10:27:07 AM »
Great info General-seems there were some rolling blocks in that assault!

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #28 on: August 07, 2012, 03:26:40 PM »
We do not "steal" anything...we "borrow it without the intention of ever giving it back!"

Offline Guns Garrett

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #29 on: August 14, 2012, 09:16:18 PM »
I read of some Marine action in the 1870's, (perhaps the Korean Han River forts) where the officer in charge complained that his Marines were still armed with "old fuzzle-muzzles" (or some similar epithet).

My History of the Marines states thathe Marines and Sailors storming the Han River forts were armed with RB carbines.

Some ships' Marine Detachments had Remington-Lee bolt actions in the 1880's, and the Corps adopted the straight-pull M1895 Winchester-Lee just in time for SAW - which were changed out for Krags by 1900...
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Offline Drydock

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #30 on: August 14, 2012, 10:06:26 PM »
Picture of the flag captured at the Han River action.  Those do look like Muskets.
Civilize them with a Krag . . .

Offline MUD MARINE

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Re: .50-70 Trapdoor used by USMC?
« Reply #31 on: August 22, 2012, 05:21:06 PM »
The commanding officer reported that his men took the forts armed with "old muzzle fuzzles".
:-)

 

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