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SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1879 TRAPDOOR CARBINE THAT BELONGED TO CUSTER'S 7TH CAVALRY SCOUT "CURLEY".

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:7,500.00 USD Estimated At:15,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1879 TRAPDOOR CARBINE THAT BELONGED TO CUSTER'S 7TH CAVALRY SCOUT  CURLEY .
Please Note (3/8/13): We have received inquiries questioning whether the Seventh Cavalry Indian Scout, Private Curley, referred to in the Springfield Research Service letter was indeed the same Curley who was Custer’s scout and survived the Little Big Horn massacre. It is the firm conviction of editor and chief researcher of the Springfield Research Service, Mr. Wayne P. Gagner, that the gun was issued to Scout Private Curley of the US Seventh Cavalry and that the gun had previously been issued to Scout Lance “Sgt. Fat”. It is also his belief (referenced by his letter) that this Curley is the same Indian that survived the conflict. There is no way that we can prove this unequivocally. It is certainly possible that there was more than one Indian scout for the Seventh Cavalry by the name of Curley and so we have no way to absolutely prove or disprove that this Curley is one and the same.” SN 126142. Cal. 45-70. Standard 1879 carbine with 22" bbl, square base front sight and 1,500 yard ski jump rear sight marked with a "C" on left side of the base and left leg of the ladder. The low arch breech block has "1873" markings and the lockplate standard markings with eagle & "U.S. SPRINGFIELD". Mounted in a 1-pc walnut stock with sgl bbl band and sling bar, missing its ring, on the left side. The trigger guard is standard 2-pc and it has the 1877-style buttplate with trap door. Left side of stock is hand decorated with the number "25" in large dots that appear to have old paint in some of the dots. Heel of the stock has large amount of fill and the area of the butt around the buttplate shows that it was used many years without a buttplate as was common practice among the Indians who used the buttplates as hide scrapers. Accompanied by a letter from the Springfield Research Service which identifies this carbine as a Model 1877. T he Model 1877 serial range ran from about #75,000 to #115,000 whereas the serial range for the Model 1879 ran from about #100,000 to #280,000. The letter states that it was issued to "U.S. 7nd (sic) Cavalry, US Army. Scout Pvt Curley". It also states "This weapon has a previous history as being issued to Scout Lance Sgt Fat". Also accompanying are several photographs of Curley and three other scouts who were with the 7th at the Little Big Horn. Accompanied by a 4-page article by Silas Messer which appeared in the Dec. 2008 issue of U.S. Martial Arms Collector magazine which contains information from an interview of Curley (also spelled Curly), a Native American of the Crow Tribe. Curley was born in about 1856 in Montana Territory and lived on the Crow Reservation near Prior Creek. He enlisted as an Indian Scout with the Army on April 10, 1876 and was chosen to scout for the 7th Cavalry during the Little Big Horn expedition, along with fellow Crow warriors. He escaped from the massacre and witnessed parts of the Custer fight from a ravine and later from a somewhat distant ridge. His earliest account was reported in the Helena Herald of July 15, 1876. He apparently effected his escape by pulling his blanket over himself in the manner of a Sioux and walked through the lines. After escaping the battlefield Curley became a celebrated person although he apparently never sought the limelight. After his service with the Army, Curley served in the Crow Reservation Police and lived on the Crow Reservation on the bank of the Little Big Horn River, close to the battlefield. He died May 22, 1923 of pneumonia and is buried in the National Cemetery at the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument, only a mile from his home. Curley's cabin that he occupied on the Crow Reservation is currently part of Old Trail Town in Cody, Wyoming. CONDITION: Poor to fair. No orig finish remains; the metal is overall a cleaned, mottled silver/gray patina with scattered moderate pitting. Stock has a repair on left side of receiver with a few grain checks and some minor chips with the aforementioned "fill" around the buttplate and another spot on the tip of the forestock and overall retains a sanded & oiled finish. Mechanics are fine, strong bright bore. 4-48174