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Desirable U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1875 Officer's Model Trapdoor Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military / Long Guns - Rifles Start Price:7,000.00 USD Estimated At:14,000.00 - 22,500.00 USD
Desirable U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1875 Officer's Model Trapdoor Rifle
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Desirable U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1875 Officer's Model Trapdoor Rifle

This is a fine example of a very early Type II, U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1875 Trapdoor Officer's rifle. These rifles were considered as a badge of rank and distinction by U.S. Calvary Officer's that had to be purchased directly from Springfield Armory on a special order basis only. There were three different types of rifles, with a total of 477 Officer's Models actually produced for all three types with only 252 total Type II Models manufactured. They all exhibited select walnut stocks, with a checkered wrist and forend area with a separate checkered detachable walnut pistol grip. The receiver, breech block, lock plate, hammer, tang, and barrel band are all decorated with a fine scroll engraving. The left side of the barrel is stamped "V/P/Eagle Head/P" proof and the underside of barrel has a single iron ramrod thimble, and is fitted with a hickory wiping rod with nickel-plated, knurled front ferrule and slotted rear ferrule. The top of the breechblock is marked "U.S./MODEL/1873" in three lines and the lock plate is marked with the "Springfield Eagle/Shield" motif ahead of the hammer followed by "U.S./SPRINGFIELD", surrounded by scroll engraving. The barrel has a Beach front sight that has a combination folding blade/globe with a first pattern Model 1877 rifle rear sight that is marked on the side of the base: 1-4 and on top of the ladder, 6-12. The top of the wrist of the stock has a very desirable type II folding vernier tang sight with the small round base. It is fitted with the two piece trigger plate and trigger guard bow that also has fine engraving and is correctly fitted with a single set-trigger. The rifle is fitted with an oil finished walnut half-stock that is fitted with an engraved German silver squared end forend tip. The end of the butt has a solid steel buttplate stamped with a "U.S." on top of the heel. The left side of the stock is correctly NOT cartouched and there is a single circled script, "P" proofmark behind the checkered panel on the underside of the stock. These rifles all have a blue barrel, color casehardened receiver and components and are fitted with a hickory cleaning rod.

Manufacture: Springfield Armory U.S.
Model: 1875
BBL: 22 inch round
Stock: walnut checkered
Gauge: 45-70
Finish: blue
Grips:
Serial Number: NSN

Fine overall with the barrel retaining 70% of its blue finish with the balance having browned out with some minor light spots of erosion on top of the muzzle end of the barrel. The ramrod retention pin is absent. The receiver, breechblock, lock plate, hammer and buttplate have all silvered out, but all pieces show clear distinct original engraving. The stock is in very fine condition with its nice original dark stock finish, showing minor handling marks on the sides in a few places. The checkering on the pistol grip areas and sides of the forend are nice and distinct with sharp checkering overall showing only minor handling marks. It obviously has been used and shot over the years but well taken care, which is nice to see once in a while with these scarce original rifles, indicating that it probably saw some frontier use.