HISTORY
The end of the Civil War in 1865 left the entire country in financial hard times. The Union army had little money for research and development of new equipment. However, there were thousands of leftover Springfield muzzle-loading muskets on hand in a time when most world armies were adopting cartridge rifles.
Springfield Armory master armorer Erskine S. Allin found a solution by replacing the breech with a hinged breech block, thus allowing the musket to be loaded from the rear with cartridges. By 1873, the powerful .45-70 cartridge was issued to match the new “Trapdoor” rifle that is the subject of my review.
MY IMPRESSIONS
This rifle is radically different from any modern gun that I own. It appears clumsy and slow, but handling it tells a different story. Yes, it is long – but not clumsy. It comes up to my eye naturally and points like a long-barreled shotgun on a dove hunt. Although heavy, it balances nicely forward of the trigger guard. Properly supported, it is steady to aim, partially due to the long heavy barrel.
Uberti makes a quality product. The high-gloss wood stock feels smooth and is naturally finished to a beautiful sheen. The barrel is deeply blued for its entire length, as is the well-defined hammer.
My favorite detail is the folding trapdoor breech. It is nicely color-case-hardened, showing gorgeous hues of blue, black, and steel melded in a cloud-like pattern. This feature is repeated with the steel butt plate. Other furniture, trigger guard, barrel bands, sling loops, and stacking swivel are deeply blued and polished.
A Faithful Copy
This reproduction is true to the original. The sights are period and seem crude at first glance, but they are not. The rear sight, mounted on the barrel ahead of the breech, uses a simple notch to align with the front sight for close-range shooting. Folding the ladder sight up reveals a notched slider marked incrementally to the number 12, indicating 1,200 yards. The front sight is a simple blade, and there is no windage adjustment.
The large, polished hammer is easy to grasp and pull back with three audible clicks. Pull it back two clicks, and it is safe, allowing the rifle to be carried while loaded. It is a simple, robust design that is ambidextrous and easy to master. When opened, the trapdoor breech ejects spent brass positively and clear of the gun.
The curved single-stage trigger breaks crisply without creep or staging. I like a good trigger! Uberti has copied this key feature of the Springfield very well. If I only have one shot, I want it to count. Time to load some black powder .45-70 rounds and head to Area 51 for some old-style shooting!
SPECIFICATIONS
- Caliber: .45-70 Government
- Weight: 9 pounds
- Overall Length: 52 inches
- Barrel: 32.5 inches, round blued steel
- Stock: Grade A satin walnut
- Length of Pull: 13.5 inches
- Trigger: Curved; 3 pounds, 4 ounces
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MSRP: $2,529
RANGE TIME
Area 51 has an eerie look today with root beer eggs, steel targets, and an old-style Army trooper rifle. I can almost see an Apache ghost warrior watching me! In keeping with this authentic Uberti replica, I have decided to load cartridges with black powder and lead cast bullets instead of modern smokeless jacketed rounds. My load is 61 grains of GOEX brand powder and a 525-grain lead bullet.
Flipping open the trapdoor and loading a round is easy and intuitive. The light single-stage trigger will help in breaking my shot on target. I aim the rear sight with the ladder down for my first shots at the 2-liter jugs at about 12 yards. What a blast! Smoke blows out and the rifle pushes me back with authority as the root beer spurts explosively. Three jugs go down easily.
Now it is time to reach out to longer distance. Three shots on the heavy steel plate rock it as if it was made of wood. I failed to notice that the shots hit a bit right. I wish I had younger eyes for the sights and seeing the hits. This costs me three well-aimed shots on root beer bottles that miss – oh no! After checking my zero, aiming a bit to the left allows me to score two hits on the remaining 2-liter jugs at 40 yards. Unlike modern rifles, there is no windage adjustment on the Springfield, so you must hold off a bit to correct the shot.
Notice how the gun pushes me back. Pushing 525 grains of lead at 1,200 feet per second will cause some kick, but it is not painful. I simply pull it tight into my shoulder and roll back with it. Smoke belches out of that muzzle as the rifle roars up the canyon wall! I feel a bit like an old-time trooper with smoke hanging in the air and bullets kicking up dust in the distance. What fun this is! I wish I had loaded more ammo. In 20 rounds, no failures to fire nor mechanical problems were encountered.
PROS & CONS
Pros:
- High quality and well-made
- Reliable
- Accurate within its sight limitations
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Excellent trigger
Cons:
- Heavy
- No windage adjustment (as originally designed)
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Pricey – You get what you pay for!
FINAL SHOTS
I own three Uberti firearms, and all are quality, historically correct guns that are fun to shoot. The Springfield .45-70 Trapdoor is no exception. Handling and shooting it forces me to think back a century and a half ago. Imagine you have only one shot to decide your future – one shot to take game, down a buffalo, or defend your troops or home.
This is not a cheap investment and is not for everyone. Of course, the Trapdoor will shoot modern smokeless cartridges, but it deserves black powder! Whether for reenactments, target shooting, or hunting, the Uberti Trapdoor will make you smile as you re-live the past.
