Springfield Model 1884

[drdale55]

Hi All,
I've been looking for an 1884 at various gun shows in our area (central AZ). I am looking for a shooter to use for long-range (pleasure and competition) shooting. Prices seem to vary between $500 and $2,500. The $2,500 ones I have seen definately look nice, but I suspect are little more than I need. Anyone out there have an idea of what would be a "reasonable" price to pay for a good solid shooter and what I should be looking for?

Thanks,
Dale

[82Rigger]

Anything below $750 is pretty much gonna be a wall-hanger.

$1,000 to $1,200 should get you a decent shooter.

Go to Gunbroker.com and search for "Springfield 1884" in Firearms>Rifles category.

[colmurph]

Whatever you buy.......DO NOT use comercial ammo with copper jacketed slugs....load our own shells with solid lead bullets. Commercial ammo with copper jacketed ammo will scour the rifling out of an 1884 in about 1,000 rounds. The barrels are made out of "Malleable Iron" and not Steel. The receiver is hefty enough for smokeless powder but the bore will not tolerate copper. If you are looking for a "Shooter" why don't you buy one of the Italian Copies? The barrel is steel and you can burn whatever you like in them.

[82Rigger]

Col Murph is right...lead bullets won't put any significant wear on the bore.

Besides, it's a lot more fun shooting the old trapdoors with black powder anyway!

[drdale55]

Thanks, I thought I had read that about the jacketed ammo. I've been buying brass and do plan on loading them. I just read an article (What is the Difference between Black, Pyrodex, Triple Seven, and Smokeless Powders? By Randy Wakeman, and am more confused. Pleanty of time for research before I find a suitable rifel (I haven't seen any of the Italian copies, but would like an original). Thanks again.
Dale

[82Rigger]

Everyone has their own opinions about loading for black powder firearms.

I've been shooting them since the early 1960s and my opinion is...I don't care much for black powder substitutes (Pyrodex, etc.).

I have found some of them to be even more corrosive than black powder.

I have always used DuPont black powder (and still do, since I bought a large stash of it when they stopped making it).

But if I had to buy black powder today, it would be one of the Sporting Rifle powders. Cost a little more, but they burn cleaner and more uniformly.

Some black powder on the market today is little more than stump-blowing powder in a can.

You're on the right track...read up on it and ask questions!

Steve