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LSB#: 181105CB16
Make:The rifle was originally made by Springfield Armory. We don’t know who customized it.
Model: Custom 1884 Trapdoor
Serial Number: 332352
Year of Manufacture: The rifle was originally made in 1886. We don’t know when it was sporterized.
Caliber: .45-70 Government
Action Type: Single Shot Trapdoor
Markings: The top of the breechblock is marked “U S / MODEL / 1873”. The right sideplate is marked with the Springfield Eagle and “U.S. / SPRINGFIELD”. The top rear of the barrel is marked “A” and the left side is marked with a “V”, “P”, an Eagle head proof and a second but smaller “P”. The right bottom rear corner of the barrel is marked “D”. The top rear of the receiver is marked “332352”. The top of the buttplate in front of the mounting screw is marked “U S”. The right side of the barrel band is marked “U”. The top of the wrist is marked with what could be “B9”.
Barrel Length: The barrel has been cut to 26 ¼”.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a tall thin blade dovetailed into a banded base fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a Buffington ladder sight that was used on the M1884 rifles. There is a “U” notch sight fixed to the rear of the ladder for use as a battle sight when the ladder is folded down. The base of the sight is adjustable for windage. The right side of the ladder is marked from “2-14”, with a hash line every 25 yards. The top right corner of the ladder is marked “R”. The left side of the ladder is marked “15-20” with a hash line every 50 yards. There are four different sights for use when the ladder is raised: there is a small peep sight at the bottom of the slider for use as a battle sight, a “U” notch in the base of a triangle for use from 200-1400 yards, a peep near the top of the slider for use at 1400 yards, and a “U” notch at the very top of the slider for use from 1500-2000.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is a one-piece walnut with a smooth straight grip that has been refinished with a lacquer finish. The buttstock has a steel carbine style buttplate. The forend has been cut-off and smoothly rounded about 4 ½” in front of the barrel band that holds it. There is a groove in the front section of the forend for a cleaning rod. The stock shows oil staining in the numerous old dings and bruises under the finish and around the metal parts. There is a small crack at the front of the lockplate, a crack from the left rear corner of the receiver to the rear stock bolt and a very short crack just above it. The stock was sanded almost smooth before it was refinished, but there are still several deep dings under the finish in the left side of the buttstock, at the front left side of the forend, the front right side of the comb and at the heel, with a deep bruise in the underside of the forend. There are a few drag lines in the finish scattered over the surfaces. The comb is 10 ½” in length and the LOP measures 13 5/16” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate shows finish loss with moderate wear at the heel and toe and light erosion under its current finish of what appears to be brown lacquer. The buttplate is in about Good condition. The stock rates in about Very Good condition as sporterized and refinished.
Type of Finish: The rifle is blued with a case colored breechblock. The receiver has a dark oil quenched finish. The upper tang is blued and the trigger guard and lockplate is finished with either cold blue or varnish. The hammer has a purple hue which we think is lacquer.
Finish Originality: The finish on the receiver, breechblock and lockplate appears original. The barrel, upper tang, hammer and trigger guard have been refinished.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright, tending to gray at the muzzle. The rifling shows heavy wear. There are spots of moderate erosion from the muzzle back several inches.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 80% of its current metal finish. There is a line across the bottom of the front sight’s base where it was cracked and then welded or perhaps just welded. There are also tool marks under the finish of the sight blade. The barrel has a slightly purple hue and we believe it was refinished with cold blue over the remnants of the original blued finish, giving it a mottled purple/dark appearance. There is light erosion under the finish in the hammer, upper tang, lockplate and in the underside of the barrel, and in the finish of the receiver, with moderate erosion in the breechblock and under the finish in the lower tang. The barrel shows several dings under the finish, with scratches and tool marks under the finish around the rear sight, a few dings in the finish and spots of thinning. There are several dings under the finish of the trigger guard with a scuff mark in the finish and a few tiny marks under the finish in the lockplate. There are also marks through the finish at the front of the breechblock from hitting the top rear edge of the chamber ring. The screw head at the front of the lower tang is distressed. The markings are clear with those on the lockplate crisp. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has quarter and half cock safety positions. The trigger guard is two pieces and the trigger has a serrated front face with knurling at the bottom. We have not fired this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: The Model 1873 'Trapdoor' Springfield was the first standard-issue breech-loading rifle adopted by the United States Army and it and the Model 1884 and 1888 Trapdoors were the main service rifles of the U.S. Military until they were gradually replaced by the Springfield Model 1892 bolt-action rifle. George Custer’s troops were armed with them at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and they were still used by secondary units during the Spanish-American war in 1898. This rifle started out as a Model 1884 Trapdoor rifle and has been sporterized by cutting the barrel down to 26 ¼” and cutting of the forend a few inches in front of the rear barrel band. Most of the metal surfaces and the stock have been refinished. A new banded base front sight was added while retaining its original Buffington rear sight. The rifle is in about Very Good condition as refinished. The bore mostly bright, tending to gray at the muzzle, and the rifling shows heavy wear. There are spots of erosion in the bore from the muzzle back a few inches. Collectors will be interested in this rifle for its Buffington rear sight, if for no other reason, while shooters wanting to add an inexpensive elk rifle to their stable of rifles will also be interested.
CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: This antique rifle can be transferred/sold in California.
Make:The rifle was originally made by Springfield Armory. We don’t know who customized it.
Model: Custom 1884 Trapdoor
Serial Number: 332352
Year of Manufacture: The rifle was originally made in 1886. We don’t know when it was sporterized.
Caliber: .45-70 Government
Action Type: Single Shot Trapdoor
Markings: The top of the breechblock is marked “U S / MODEL / 1873”. The right sideplate is marked with the Springfield Eagle and “U.S. / SPRINGFIELD”. The top rear of the barrel is marked “A” and the left side is marked with a “V”, “P”, an Eagle head proof and a second but smaller “P”. The right bottom rear corner of the barrel is marked “D”. The top rear of the receiver is marked “332352”. The top of the buttplate in front of the mounting screw is marked “U S”. The right side of the barrel band is marked “U”. The top of the wrist is marked with what could be “B9”.
Barrel Length: The barrel has been cut to 26 ¼”.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a tall thin blade dovetailed into a banded base fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a Buffington ladder sight that was used on the M1884 rifles. There is a “U” notch sight fixed to the rear of the ladder for use as a battle sight when the ladder is folded down. The base of the sight is adjustable for windage. The right side of the ladder is marked from “2-14”, with a hash line every 25 yards. The top right corner of the ladder is marked “R”. The left side of the ladder is marked “15-20” with a hash line every 50 yards. There are four different sights for use when the ladder is raised: there is a small peep sight at the bottom of the slider for use as a battle sight, a “U” notch in the base of a triangle for use from 200-1400 yards, a peep near the top of the slider for use at 1400 yards, and a “U” notch at the very top of the slider for use from 1500-2000.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is a one-piece walnut with a smooth straight grip that has been refinished with a lacquer finish. The buttstock has a steel carbine style buttplate. The forend has been cut-off and smoothly rounded about 4 ½” in front of the barrel band that holds it. There is a groove in the front section of the forend for a cleaning rod. The stock shows oil staining in the numerous old dings and bruises under the finish and around the metal parts. There is a small crack at the front of the lockplate, a crack from the left rear corner of the receiver to the rear stock bolt and a very short crack just above it. The stock was sanded almost smooth before it was refinished, but there are still several deep dings under the finish in the left side of the buttstock, at the front left side of the forend, the front right side of the comb and at the heel, with a deep bruise in the underside of the forend. There are a few drag lines in the finish scattered over the surfaces. The comb is 10 ½” in length and the LOP measures 13 5/16” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate shows finish loss with moderate wear at the heel and toe and light erosion under its current finish of what appears to be brown lacquer. The buttplate is in about Good condition. The stock rates in about Very Good condition as sporterized and refinished.
Type of Finish: The rifle is blued with a case colored breechblock. The receiver has a dark oil quenched finish. The upper tang is blued and the trigger guard and lockplate is finished with either cold blue or varnish. The hammer has a purple hue which we think is lacquer.
Finish Originality: The finish on the receiver, breechblock and lockplate appears original. The barrel, upper tang, hammer and trigger guard have been refinished.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright, tending to gray at the muzzle. The rifling shows heavy wear. There are spots of moderate erosion from the muzzle back several inches.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 80% of its current metal finish. There is a line across the bottom of the front sight’s base where it was cracked and then welded or perhaps just welded. There are also tool marks under the finish of the sight blade. The barrel has a slightly purple hue and we believe it was refinished with cold blue over the remnants of the original blued finish, giving it a mottled purple/dark appearance. There is light erosion under the finish in the hammer, upper tang, lockplate and in the underside of the barrel, and in the finish of the receiver, with moderate erosion in the breechblock and under the finish in the lower tang. The barrel shows several dings under the finish, with scratches and tool marks under the finish around the rear sight, a few dings in the finish and spots of thinning. There are several dings under the finish of the trigger guard with a scuff mark in the finish and a few tiny marks under the finish in the lockplate. There are also marks through the finish at the front of the breechblock from hitting the top rear edge of the chamber ring. The screw head at the front of the lower tang is distressed. The markings are clear with those on the lockplate crisp. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has quarter and half cock safety positions. The trigger guard is two pieces and the trigger has a serrated front face with knurling at the bottom. We have not fired this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None
Our Assessment: The Model 1873 'Trapdoor' Springfield was the first standard-issue breech-loading rifle adopted by the United States Army and it and the Model 1884 and 1888 Trapdoors were the main service rifles of the U.S. Military until they were gradually replaced by the Springfield Model 1892 bolt-action rifle. George Custer’s troops were armed with them at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and they were still used by secondary units during the Spanish-American war in 1898. This rifle started out as a Model 1884 Trapdoor rifle and has been sporterized by cutting the barrel down to 26 ¼” and cutting of the forend a few inches in front of the rear barrel band. Most of the metal surfaces and the stock have been refinished. A new banded base front sight was added while retaining its original Buffington rear sight. The rifle is in about Very Good condition as refinished. The bore mostly bright, tending to gray at the muzzle, and the rifling shows heavy wear. There are spots of erosion in the bore from the muzzle back a few inches. Collectors will be interested in this rifle for its Buffington rear sight, if for no other reason, while shooters wanting to add an inexpensive elk rifle to their stable of rifles will also be interested.
CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: This antique rifle can be transferred/sold in California.
Apr 2, 2009 - Serial number-561529 Model 1884 -this particular model of 1884 was also known as “Model 1888 US Trapdoor Rifle” or “Ramrod bayonet.
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Springfield model 1884 | |
---|---|
Type | Breech-loading rifle |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
Used by | United States Army |
Wars | Indian Wars, Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War |
Production history | |
Designed | 1884 |
Manufacturer | Springfield Armory |
Specifications | |
Length | 51.875 in (1,317.6 mm) |
Barrel length | 32.625 in (828.7 mm) |
Cartridge | .45-70-500 |
Action | Hinged breechblock |
Rate of fire | Approx. 10 rounds a minute |
Muzzle velocity | 1,315 feet per second (401 m/s) |
The Springfield model 1884 was one of the 'Trapdoor Springfield' rifles. It was an improved replacement for the previous longarm of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Springfield model 1873.
Description[edit]
The model 1884 traces its roots back to the design of the Springfield 1873. Most of the changes that identify the model 1884 as a distinct model occurred either before or after 1884. The model 1884 incorporated a significant number of improvements that had been made between 1878 and 1879. It also featured a serrated trigger that had been incorporated into the Springfield rifle design in 1883.
The Buffington rear sight raised on a model 1884
Model 1884 lock work
The most dramatic change to the rifle design, which is often considered to be the identifying feature of the model 1884, was a new rear sight which had been designed by Lieutenant Colonel Adelbert R. Buffington of the U.S. Army Ordnance Department. This sight however was not perfected until 1885.
The principal feature of this new sight was a rack and pinion style windage adjustment. Unlike previous sights, the base was not used for any position other than point blank. The raised leaf had graduations from 200 to 1400 yards. A new barrel band was also designed to accommodate this new sight so that it could lie flat in the point blank position.[1]
Marksmen generally favored the new sight, but general troops were less enthusiastic about it and often considered it to be an annoyance.
The model 1884 was also produced in a carbine version. It was found that the rear sight could be easily damaged when removing the rifle from the carbine boot. The rear barrel band was therefore modified in 1890 to include a rear sight protector.
A round-rod bayonet model was also produced, designated the Model 1888. This, like the Springfield model 1880, was an attempt to combine the ramrod (aka cleaning rod) and bayonet into a single unit. The Model 1888 included an improved retaining mechanism, as the Model 1880's retaining mechanism had proved to be problematic.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^'Uniforms, arms, and equipment: the U.S. Army on the Western Frontier, 1880-1892' By Douglas C. McChristian
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Springfield_model_1884&oldid=787497461'
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