Which antique rifle, under $500?

Bobby Ironsights

Bobby Ironsights

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Hi, which original blackpowder cartridge rifle should I keep my eye out for?

-affordable (A#1 priority) I have a 500 dollar someday over the rainbow, 350 dollar buy it now budget.
-available brass
-common
-powerful
-shooter, not wall hanger
 
Thats a very tall order.

Maybe a rolling block from Tradeex in 12.7X44R (Can be made from 50-70 brass) Or one of their shotguns. Otherwise I would agree with bdft on looking for a martini but the brass for that isn't cheap either.
 
The last couple of cartridge ones I saw in my price range were in .577 snider? Or was it 577/450?

Anyway, I saw a couple at ellwood, and I'm only trying to spend under 500 for the rifle, we won't think about brass right now, I know it'll be expensive, but I can wait a couple months between buying the gun and the ammo.
 
Martini or Snider brass about $150 for 20. Bullet mold $60. Dies $150 Thats about $360 just to start loading it let alone buy it.
I have $500 in brass for my Sniders and Martini's plus $350 in dies plus $125 in molds. Thats almost $1000 for loading I have tied up....... and I haven't shot them in years.
You can get cut down shooters for your buy it now budget. If you want a shooter and good condition and complete you will spend the $$$.
 
Best look for a bubba trap door in 45-70 I've seen a few in that price range that were sporterized cut stocks etc. that may have made resonable shooters
 
theDuck said:
You can get cut down shooters for your buy it now budget. If you want a shooter and good condition and complete you will spend the $$$.
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Bubba got it?... that's ok,.... sporterized is totally cool with me.

a little rusty?...ok, I'm cool with some work with the 400 grit, and the cold blue/ or the rust bluing.

Cracks in stock?...well, I guess that's why they make epoxy.
 
Both my sneider and my martini were under 500$$ and both are shooters.

A sneider may be a easier reload, but both are fairly easy "not needing any presses and all"

Brass is expensive, but can be reloaded by hand and reused quite a bit.
 
For that budget, the TradEx rolling Block is about it, if you want to find something that is available now, and can be shot without a major investment in jewelery grade cases.

You can get lucky and fall into a Snider or a Trapdoor that has been butchered, but you are going to get what you can pay for, in those, which amounts to bottom end as far as condition.

My advice is this. Buy the best condition TradeEx rolling block that you can, now, and start saving for a rebarrel to one of the common black powder cartridges. 3 that I would be considering carefully are 40-65, 45-70, and .405 Winchester (because Brass is readilly available, and it's a straight case).

If you go that route, get lots of close-up pictures before you buy, and make sure to get an action that is clearly marked with a date, to save the trouble of having to prove that it's old enough.

Good luck!

Cheers
Trev
 
My recommendation would be an original Springfield Trapdoor in 45-70 that has been bubba'd to bring its value down. Values of these tend to be a bit higher here in Canada because of their antique status. You can get them cheaper in the US and you can bring them straight across with no paperwork. I got a real nice one in original condition, excellent bore and wood and 80% blue for $880 in a US auction. A bubba'd one should be a lot cheaper.
 
buy a 43 mauser with mint bore here on cgn for 150-225. remove magazine and have it deregistered.

you will not find a better value in Big Bore antiques. Heck buy 3: scope one, leave one original, chrome the 3rd.......

it will cost you 60 bucks for 20 cases and they will last fore ever, LEE dies are 20 bucks and as long as you don't get a 71 mauser bullets are easy to come by.

Sights on these rifles are great as is the overall quality. Repro stocks are available.

Compared to a trapdoor it is not hard to discern the diffrence between a rifle made to rule the 18th century and a rifle made to murder indians.
 
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Check out prices at ww.thegunworks.com, they have a number of rifles for sale. Might give you an idea of what's out there.
BTW. I've forwarded your idea re; BP E/E .
Cheers nessy.
 
At the Niagara Sports Show an old vet brought me a Sgt's 2 band Snider in 577. Needed a lot of work and parts, but original full length for under 200 dollars I bought it. I see original 3 band Sniders in fair-good shape $400-$500 range on this sight and at shows. But if you want v. good+ like everyone above said, spend at least $500 plus expensive brass, slugs and maybe dies too. But it's worth it!
 
Like the others are saying, once you get your antique rifle, you'll probably be bittin by the bug, so make sure you get a decent one.
 
Swiss Vetterli or Mauser M71/84. Brass is not cheap for either, but once you have it, it last a veyr long time.
 
As far as converting a bubba'd 71/84 Mauser to single shot, and deregistering it - make sure the RCMP will accept this. The last pre-'98 single shot calibre conversion I heard about was refused deregistration.
 
As far as converting a bubba'd 71/84 Mauser to single shot, and deregistering it - make sure the RCMP will accept this. The last pre-'98 single shot calibre conversion I heard about was refused deregistration
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let me guess a friend of a friend's uncle who worked at the local tackle shop?
The RCMP cannot refuse to deregister a 71/84 IF it has been converted permanantly to single shot.

If that converted rifle is still around I 'll happily buy it (if it has a minty bore)
and get it deregistered.

While we are on the topic anyone with an unloved registered 71/84 kicking around PM me and I'll take it off your hands. I plan on building a few scoped single shot 43 mausers and will be happy to have more fodder.
 
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