Even if the set screw were loose, the latch cannot rotate out of locked position since it is a square shaft into a square latch hole. There is a tiny set screw in the latch that tightens against a flat on the lever shaft to prevent the 2 pieces from sliding apart. That would include the breech lock and locking lever, which is a 2 piece design. I have a Pedersoli TD & read that they used the basic H&R design. For that, I have a Marlin 1895, also purchased in 1977.
Keith used only original Trapdoors, and was noted for pushing well beyond the limit of other guns (he blew up a few revolvers in his lifetime), so perhaps his warning should be taken with a handful of salt. It's interesting to note that the late gun writer Elmer Keith (1899-1983) believed that the Trapdoor design was too weak for smokeless powder. Had it since 1977 and this is the first I've heard of it being weaker than the originals. Until now, I never heard of an extra screw in the H&R that makes it unsafer. I have a Harrington & Richardson 1873 Little Bighorn commemorative. The limitation isn't metallurgy, it's design. It is incorrect to assume that newly made Trapdoors are stronger than the originals (wear being equal, of course). My casual look at true US Springfield Trapdoor carbines suggests that their prices are more in line with the the repros and it may actually be cheaper to buy a repro than an original, though I personally haven't explored that market to any great extent. While they may be able to withstand a little more than the originals, not sure that would be a wise choice. I think the limiting factor there remains the trapdoor design, not modern metallurgy. 45/70 Government/Trapdoor loads in the repro and originals, though I don't believe the repros are designed for, nor is it recommended to shoot higher power loads in them either. Here's Pedersoli's info and they list a max chamber pressure of 18,000 cup. I do believe that both the Pedersoli and Uberti are made by Pedersoli and marketed under the different names. Maybe tough to get one with that pristine of a stock but otherwise quite nice and very shootable.
First, you can get a nice original Trapdoor rifle for less than half the price of one of the repros. I'm no expert but looked into this a little bit.
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