1633

Excellent Rare Type II Springfield Model 1875 U.S. "Trapdoor" Officer's Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:10,000.00 USD Estimated At:20,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
Excellent Rare Type II Springfield Model 1875 U.S.  Trapdoor  Officer's Rifle
This is an example of a very fine, totally original Type II U.S. Springfield Model 1875 Officer's Rifle. Springfield Armory manufactured a total of 477 of these highly desirable sporting rifles between 1875 and 1885 for Army officers who wanted a high quality sporting rifle chambered for the standard issue .45-70 cartridge. The rifle has a blued barrel, casehardened barrel band, receiver, breech block, tang, hammer, lock plate, trigger guard and buttplate. The rifle has the distinctive oil-finished, black walnut, half-stock with hickory cleaning rod below the barrel, German silver nose cap and checkered panels on the forearm and wrist. The barrel is fitted with a Beach folding globe front sight and a military buckhorn rear sight. The nose cap, receiver, breech block, tang, lock plate, hammer, thumb-piece, trigger guard and butt plate are all decorated with well executed scroll engraving. The rifle has a single set-trigger and carbine trigger guard. The hickory ramrod has a nickel-plated brass tip and wiper. This rifle has the characteristic Type II features which include a Springfield, oval base, Vernier tang sight and detachable, checkered pistol grip. The scroll engraving on the nose cap, receiver, lock and other components is identical to that illustrated on Type II Officer's rifles on pages 35-47 of "THE .45-70 SPRINGFIELD" by Frasca and Hill. The left side of the barrel is stamped with "V/P/Eagle Head/P" proof and inspection marks just ahead of the receiver. The low-arch breech block is marked: "U.S./MODEL/1873". The lock plate is roll-stamped with the Springfield Eagle and Shield motif followed by "U.S./SPRINGFIELD" in two lines. The rear of the receiver is, correctly, not marked with a serial number but the number "61" is stamped on the top of the stock immediately behind the tang. A, encircled, script, "P" proof mark is stamped on the under side of the stock behind the wrist checkering. All of the markings are correct for a Type II Officer's Rifle manufactured before 1881. Experts estimate that 252 Type II Officer's Rifles were manufactured by Springfield Armory between April 1, 1877 and December 30, 1881.
BBL: 26 inch
Stock: walnut checkered
Gauge: 45-70 Government
Finish: blue/casehardened
Grips:
Serial Number: NSN


Very Fine. The rifle retains at least approximately 95% plus of the original blue and 70% case-hardened finish with minimal handling wear. The barrel, buck horn rear sight and Vernier tang sight have nearly all of the blue finish; wear is limited to some very minor muzzle wear and a insignificant spot of light pitting on the left side of the barrel. The water quenched, casehardened components have a gray-black finish with strong case colors. The case colors on the buttplate have aged to a silver-gray patina. The engraving is crisp. The ramrod has nearly all of the nickel-plated finish on the tip and wiper. The excellent stock has most of the original oil finish with sharp checkering. Wear is limited to scattered and very minor storage marks. The bore is bright. This is an exceptional example of a rare Springfield Model 1875 Officer's Rifle that would be the center-piece of any advanced U.S. Martial Arms collection.