This full length U. S. Model 1873 Springfield rifle trapdoor rifle would make a nice shooter with a mostly bright bore. Stocked in walnut the rifle has been sanded and the cartouche marks are no longer visible. The wood has some scattered handling marks from well over 100 years of handling and use by previous owners. The blued barrel and furniture have aged anywhere to a brown or silvery gray patina.

Chambered for the popular .45-70 Government cartridge the bore on this rifle is mostly bright with a very few speckles. It should make a very good shooter. The Director of Civilian Marksmanship offered Trapdoor rifles to NRA members at low cost, and such famous mail order merchants as Sears and Roebuck listed such guns in their early catalogs.

The military style buttplate is wide and lightly curved, made to absorb the recoil of the .45-70 Government cartridge. Our top view of the trapdoor shows off the thumbnail comb extension of the buttplate, clearly marked U.S.. The buttplate comb has an additional 6 stamped, which could be a rack number. Moving up the stock, the short tang can be seen and it has faded to a gray brown. The serial number of the rifle, 95XXX, is very faint on the forward most portion of the breech. The serial number would indicate producion circa 1878. The trapdoor itself is also marked U.S. / MODEL / 1873 in three lines. Ahead of the breech and trapdoor, the barrel measures 32" out to the muzzle. The barrel is fitted with M1877 second variation rear sight, which is typical of rifles in this serial number range. The riser is missing from the sight and the sight is fitted with well worn slotted screws. The screws should be a headless design in this period. The front sight is the traditional military blade sight. The markings on the barrel are faint with the classic V over P over the upraised eagle's head with an additional inspection mark just ahead of the action on the barrel.

From below the rounded toe of the rifle can be seen leading forward to the triggerguard. The triggerguard has a sling swivel on the forward bow that is matched by a front swivel on the front barrel band. Two blued barrel bands hold the barrel to the stock while also supporting the ramrod below. Each of the bands is properly marked with a U, the open end of which faces toward the muzzle. Below the barrel the proper cleaning rod is held securely in position, its open channel is in excellent condition.

The lock works crisply with a three notch tumbler, and the trigger release is positive and smooth. The tumbler screw is an old replacement. The lock plate is marked with an eagle next to U.S. / Springfield / 1873 in three lines. The lock plate has some marks across the eagle and the surface has aged to a speckled gray patina on the front lower edge.

For additional information on the trapdoor rifles, see the book The .45-70 Springfield by Joe Poyer and Craig Riesch. This antique black powder cartridge rifle should make a good shooter. We have had good success with Trapdoor rifles that have bores in far worse shape than this rifle. Order it today, as a bona fide antique it can be shipped directly to you with no FFL paperwork.

We stock .45-70 dies. We strongly prefer black powder handloads, and especially the 500 grain original U. S. Army - Frankfort Arsenal bullet, now known as the Lyman 457-125 bullet. We recommend 500 grain cast lead alloy bullets, sized to fit the grooves, with SPG lubricant, over our thin card wad. You can easily assemble your own cartridges using our inexpensive reloading tools and molds.

Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.