SOLD
750.00USD+ buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2024 Mar 23 @ 11:27UTC-6 : CST/MDT
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Historic Springfield 1866 .50-70 Caliber U.S. issue infantry rifle altered for frontier service. This outstanding example turned up some time ago right here in Bozeman, Montana and has been in a single collection since. Historically, Fort Ellis was founded on the edge of Bozeman, Montana in 1867. It was staffed to protect the town and travelers (passing through on their way to the gold fields of Virginia City and Nevada City, Montana) from hostile Indian attacks. As this area was being settled, Fort Ellis would give homesteaders .50-70 Springfields if they did not have firearms, or if they were armed with inferior muzzle loading weapons. As government issued, these Springfields had 36” barrels and full stocks. They were fine for infantry soldiers, but too unwieldy for civilians, especially civilians on
horseback. Hence, many of these “donated” rifles were immediately shortened in barrel and stock to better suit the needs of homesteaders, buffalo hunters, trappers, pioneers and market hunters. This fine example has had the barrel cut back to a more manageable length of 25 inches. The issue rear leaf sight in intact and the front sight is a blade whose base is dovetailed into the barrel. The stock shows normal frontier usage and handling, but is solid and has never been cleaned or sanded. It still retains a very faint outline of the inspector cartouche in the left side wrist area. The 1866 Springfield “Trapdoor” is one of the most historical of U.S. Government issue arms because they are actually converted .58 Caliber muzzle loading Civil War Muskets. After the Civil War these obsolete arms were returned to
Springfield where their breech sections were cut away and a “trap door” added to facilitate a firing pin and loading of the new and powerful .50-70 Center Fire cartridge (.50 caliber loaded with 70 grains of black powder). The barrels were then reamed and fitted with a .50 caliber rifled liner to accommodate the smaller bullet diameter. Lastly, the hammer was changed from the percussion style of one that would strike the firing pin in the breech block. The rest of the parts remained unaltered. So, this rifle first went through the Civil War, then was converted to cartridge in the form of the Model 1866 and reissued for Indian War usage, and finally given to civilians for frontier service. It would be difficult to find a more historic firearm than this. Barrels were left “in the white” at Springfield, meaning they were not blued and this example shows a nice aged sliver-gray/brown appearance. The lock plate correctly shows the date it was originally issued as a muzzle loading rifle of 1863 and further has the Eagle Motif stamping over “U.S. Springfield.” The breech block is similarly stamped with “1866” over the eagle. The action functions perfectly and the bore is still fairly bright with sharp rifling all he way through and was obviously well taken care of. The butt plate is also original and retains the “U.S.” stamping on the top. The .50-70 round was very popular as it had the power to take down any game
encountered on the Western Frontier and could be found and purchased or issued at all frontier posts.
An outstanding example of the earliest cartridge guns that “Won he West". The rifle weighs 7lbs 10oz. No Serial Number. This firearm qualifies as an Antique, and does not require FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check.
Auction Location:
34156 E Frontage Rd, Bozeman, Montana, 59715, United States
Previewing Details:
Preview the Friday before the auction 10am to 5pm or by appointment.
No sales tax in Montana
Buyer's Premiums:
| From (Incl.) | To (Excl.) | Premium |
| 0.00 |
Infinite |
26% |
Additional Fees:
Shipping Details:
North American Auction Company is proud to announce the opening of our new in-house, full-service shipping department. We have listened to you the customer and will now be handling all outgoing packages in our new shipping department. We are confident this new offering will allow for a smooth transition from auction block to your front step. We have partnered with preferred carriers to ensure a safe, efficient delivery that works best with your schedule. Please allow 14-21 days after complete invoice payment is made to package and ship your purchase. After you are notified of your winning bids from our company and your item invoice is paid in full our new shipping department will contact you. Make sure when signing up with our company that your preferred shipping information is up to date as this information will be used to estimate shipping cost. Once the items have been packaged our team will contact you for shipping payment. Shipping invoices and payment will be completely separately than the items invoice. Please notify the shipping department with any alternate request or instructions at mark@northamericanauctioncompany.com or 800-686-4216 ext. 3. For a shipping quote please contact the same information above. PLEASE NOTE a shipping quote price can fluctuate in price. Auction company is not responsible for actual shipping cost being higher than quoted shipping cost. Thank you for trusting North American Auction Co. with your bids and shipping. As our shipping department is brand new please understand that delays can be expected.
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All Live Internet Simulcast Bidding is subject to the same terms stated in the Absentee Bidding Section C-4. 4. Absentee Bidding: Auction Co. offers bidders absentee bidding through various venues including but not limited to Online Absentee Bidding, Live Absentee Bidding, Telephone Absentee Bidding, on site in person Absentee Bidding, and Sealed Bid Absentee Bidding. The auction catalog is hosted on various different websites including without limitation LiveAuctioneers, ICollector, Proxibid, Invaluable, Auctionzip, and HiBid. A bidder wishing to participate in the online absentee bidding is required to register to bid and/or create an account, on any of the above listed websites, making sure to fill out the registration and or new account information completely with correct and the most current information. 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Auction Co. is not responsible for any failure to execute an online bid or for any errors or omissions in connection therewith. Online bidding via all hosted internet platforms will be recorded. All bidding is subject to approval by the Auction Co. and Auction Co. Auctioneer representative at the live auction event. Auction Co. holds the right to refuse or decline or accept in any order the bids presented to the Auctioneer at the time of the live event. Bidders understand that all bids placed are considered and executed as Competitive Bidding. Competitive Bidding is allowing the Auction Co. to start the bid at the amount the Auctioneer will accept a bid regardless of any bidder's maximum bid. understand that due to the hectic nature of the live auction event that the Auction Co. and Auctioneer will not take into account the date at which any bid was placed (Example No.1: If the Auctioneer is asking all bidders for a $1,000 bid and a live onsite bidder in person, a bidder through representative, a telephone bidder, an internet live bidder from all of the five available hosted platforms, and an absentee bidder all at the exact same time bid $1,000, the Auctioneer will award the high bid solely at his discretion without limitations. Example No. 2: A bidder number 1 left an absentee bid of $1,000 on a lot. The auction event is in processes and the bidder number 1 is the highest accepted bid at $100 and the Auctioneer according to his sole discretion sets the bidding increments at $100 and then continues to call bids. The bidder number 1 is then accepted as the highest bidder at $900 and the Auctioneer ask for $1,000 and accept the bid from another bidder, bidder number 2, at $1,000. The Auctioneer then calls for any more bids at $1,100 and then sells the item to the bidder number 2. Since the original bidder, bidder number 1, was accepted at $900 and the Auctioneer has chosen $100 increments the next accepted bid must be $1,000 and bidder number 1 cannot bid again as the Auctioneer already has accepted his bid at $900. When the Auctioneer calls for $1,100 bidder number 1 no longer will show the Auction Co. representative any available bids and the item will be sold to bidder number 2). Auction Co. is not liable for any damages or responsible for selling the item to another bidder at your maximum bid amount without limitation. 5. 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