Post on 26-May-2018
BlackWalnutGripsCutfromanOldTrapdoorRifleStock ThirtyyearsagoIboughtaUSSpringfieldModel1873trapdoorriflemadein1874,twoyearsbeforeCusterwaskilledattheBattleoftheLittleBighorn.Myriflewasinexcellentcondition,exceptfortheBlackWalnutstockthatwasdamaged.Aftersearchingforseveralyears,IfoundanotheroriginalstockofthesametimeperiodthatIusedtoreplacethedamagedstock.Foryears,theoldtrapdoorriflestockremainedinthebackofmybedroomcloset. In2017,Idecidedtomakeaone-pieceWalnutgripformy2ndGenerationColtModel 1873 SingleActionArmy (SAA)pistol. Insteadof going to LowesorHomeDepot,IdecidedtouseapieceofBlackWalnutcutfromtheoldtrapdoorriflestock.InformationfromtheSpringfieldResearchServiceindicatedthisstockcamefromariflethatwasusedbytheUSArmyduringtheheightofthe IndianWarsinthelasthalfofthe19thCentury.Byre-usingthiswood,IknewIwouldbetouchingapieceofAmericanhistoryeachtimeIheldmygun. HereisaphotooftheBlackWalnutgripthatImadefromtheoldSpringfieldModel1873trapdoorriflestockusedduringtheIndianWars.