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RARE U.S Springfield M1866 .50-70 Trapdoor Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:1,250.00 - 2,450.00 USD
RARE U.S Springfield M1866 .50-70 Trapdoor Rifle
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You are bidding on a Historically Significant U.S. Springfield Model 1866 .50-70 Trapdoor Rifle. This was the first center fire rifle issued by the U.S. Government mainly for the Indian Wars. All were conversions to cartridge-firing breech loading rifles made from Civil War U. S. Springfield Model 1861 .58 caliber muzzle loaders. This was the rifle used in the last battles of Red Cloud’s War in the famous battles known as the “Wagon Box Fight” near Fort Phil Kearny in Wyoming on August 2, 1867, and the “Hayfield Fight” the previous day on August 1, 1867 near Fort C. F. Smith in Wyoming. In both instances soldiers from each fort were away performing wood cutting or hay gathering tasks when large numbers of Lakota Sioux attacked. Unknown to the Indian attackers, the soldiers were armed with the new Model 1866 .50 caliber breech loading rifles. After the first volley was fired by the soldiers, the Indians, believing the soldiers now had to reload their muzzle loading rifles, charged. Instantly the soldiers reloaded their new rifles and fired again. Confused by this rapidity of fire, the Indians withdrew and eventually abandoned the fights. It was only the new Model 1866 rifles that allowed a small number of well armed soldiers to hold off a superior number of Indians. This rare and totally original example is in excellent condition overall. The breech block clearly stamped “1866” over the correct eagle head stamping. “U.S.” marked butt plate. Correct folding leaf sights. The lock plate also correctly stamped with the “eagle” and “U.S. Springfield” as well as the date 1865 (this was the original Civil War lock plate that was correctly converted to breech loading in 1866). The wood has never been sanded, cleaned or refinished and is solid without cracks or damage (the dark lines on the right side coming back from the breech are black powder fouling stains made when water or solvent was used to swab out a black powder fouled bore and the excess runs down the stock. Very common in frontier used rifles.). Interestingly, the short row of “dots” in the stock on the right side just behind the wrist are often seen on Frontier rifles, yet few people know what made the marks…They were made by the “rowel” or pointed wheel on spurs. When rifles were placed in saddle scabbards with the stock exposed it was not uncommon for a boot with spurs attached to rake the stock. The left side of the stock opposite the lock plate still retains two inspector cartouches- one from the Civil War an the other an “ESA” in an oval stands for Erskine S. Allin who designed the “Trapdoor” breech loading system for converting muzzle loading Springfield rifles to cartridge firing rifles. The barrels on Model 1866 rifles were left “in the white” meaning they were not blue'd as later guns were, the metal surfaces on the barrel have never been cleaned or polished and now have a natural aged patina which is important to this model. Sling Swivels are intact, mechanically superb condition and even has a sharp, well maintained excellent bore. When decommissioned from the military, many were sold to buffalo hunters in need of an inexpensive yet powerful and accurate well made rifle. Also, many of these early cartridge firing Springfield rifles were later cut down and “sporterized” by frontiersmen and it is very difficult to find an example in all original condition right down to the cleaning rod, sights and swivels. A key firearm of the early post-Civil War Indian Wars of the West. This is a antique firearm. NO FFL transfer or NICS background check required.