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Rare Springfield 1875 Officer's Model Trapdoor Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:8,000.00 USD Estimated At:20,000.00 - 30,000.00 USD
Rare Springfield 1875 Officer's Model Trapdoor Rifle
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Estimate: $20000 - 30000
This is an excellent original example of a Type II Officer's Trapdoor Rifle that was manufactured by Springfield Armory between 1877 and 1881.The rifle has the distinctive Type II checkered walnut half-stock with detachable, checkered pistol grip, low-arch breechblock, rounded, nickel plated forend tip, nickel plated front and rear ramrod tips. In addition to the Type II features, the rifle has well-executed scroll engraving on the forend cap, barrel band, receiver top, breechblock, tang, cam latch, lock plate, hammer, trigger guard and buttplate. The straight grain walnut stock has checkered panels on the wrist and forearm. The barrel is fitted with a single ramrod pipe that secures a hickory ramrod with slotted ferule and milled head. The rifle has a single set-trigger, two-position tumbler, carbine trigger guard without stacking swivel, hammer with oval knurled panel and 1877 Buckhorn "R" (rifle) marked rear sight. The rifle was special-ordered without the tang mounted peep sight and globe front sight found on most Officer's Model Trapdoor Rifles. The stock was never been drilled or inletted for a tang sight and has an oval checkered panel on the top of the wrist. The barrel is fitted with a dovetail mounted front sight with nickel-silver blade. The receiver is, correctly, not serial numbered. The breechblock has the standard, three-line, markings, "U.S./MODEL/1873". In addition to the open scroll engraving, the lock plate is roll-stamped with the Springfield Eagle and Shield motif and "U.S./SPRINGFIELD" in two lines. "U.S." is stamped on the buttplate heel surrounded by engraved scroll work. The left side of the barrel is stamped with the Springfield, "V/P/Eagle Head/P", proof and acceptance marks. An encircled script "P" proofmark is stamped on the underside of the stock at the terminus of the wrist checkering. The left side of the stock wrist, correctly, lacks the Ordnance final inspection marks and date found on 1881 and 1885 production Officer's Model rifles. The rifle has a blued barrel and color casehardened barrel band, receiver, breechblock, lock plate, hammer, tang, trigger guard and buttplate. The Officer's Model Trapdoor Rifles were manufactured to provide Army officers with a high quality sporting rifle chambered for the .45-70 service cartridge. Springfield Armory manufactured only 477 of these fine rifles between 1875 and 1885. An estimated 252, Type II rifles were made between April 1, 1877 and December 30, 1881.
BBL: 26 inch round
Stock: walnut checkered
Gauge: 45/70 Govt.
Finish: blue/casehardened
Grips:
Serial Number: NSN
Condition: Excellent. The barrel retains 95% of the slightly faded original blue finish. 85% of the casehardened finish on the receiver, breechblock, tang, hammer and receiver is present with strong case colors. The barrel band and trigger guard show minor handling wear with about half of the original case colors. The case colors on the buttplate have faded to a silver-gray patina with scattered age spotting. The carefully executed scroll engraving is crisp and deep. The barrel, breechblock and lock plate markings are sharp. The bore is bright. The ramrod is in excellent condition with nearly all of the plated finish on the ferrules and minimal wear on the rod itself. The walnut stock and detachable pistol grip are both in excellent condition with most of the original finish, sharp checkering and only very light handling wear. This is an excellent example of a rare Type II Officer's Model 1875 Trapdoor Rifle with unusual special order sight configuration.