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MODEL 1870 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE – MODIFIED FOR USE ON
THE EARLY WESTERN PLAINS – EXCELLENT FRONTIER ERA RIFLE:
As one of the arms issued
during the 1870 Trials, the Model 1870 Springfield Rifle
proved to be reliable and dependable in the hands of the
soldiers on the western frontier.
With the selection of the
Trapdoor system at the end of the Trials as the design
that would be basis for the Model 1873 Rifle and
Carbine, it is no surprise that as the new .45 caliber
arms were issued and the .50 caliber guns moved into the
surplus market, these proven heavy caliber guns saw a
ready acceptance among the civilian hunters, settlers
and frontiersmen.
This Model 1870 Springfield Rifle recently emerged from
an old local collection where I suspect it had sat
unappreciated for what it is. This rifle shows all the
indications of being one of those that passed from the
army into the hands of a civilian frontiersman, and it
is a unique survivor of the American West.
Two features identify this rifle as one used by a
frontiersman as opposed to a regulation issue to a
soldier. The barrel length has been shortened from the
original 32.6” (in bore) to 23”, likely to make the
rifle more manageable on horse back, and the forearm was
reduced back a further 14” from the muzzle in the style
of a carbine. The muzzle cut was well executed and the
resulting surface was finished with a slight crown.
The rear and front sights were altered in a manner
consistent with other frontier sights of the period.
The original rear sight leaf was cut down and fashioned
into a buckhorn-style sight. The leaf can still be
lowered so the shorter sight notch can be employed. The
original front sight was completely removed and replaced
with a dovetailed brass base mounting a large silver
blade.
The metal is overall smooth with a pleasant naturally
aged plum colored patina. The lock is dated 1864 and
the lock stampings are present and legible, as is the
“1870”, “US”, crossed arrows, and the eagle head on the
breech block. The bore is very good to excellent with
strong rifling throughout and no significant pitting.
The lock – trigger action is very crisp.
The stock has a very pleasant aged color and is
generally smooth, but does have the marks and dings one
expects to see on a rifle of this heritage. The stock
is solid with no cracks, breaks or other structural
damage. The ramrod channel immediately forward of the
barrel band and the bottom of the fore stock shows the
characteristic wear and polish of having been carried
over the pommel of a saddle, again indicative of a
frontier used rifle.
This is a very nice example of an early Indian Wars era
rifle that certainly saw use on Western plains, and the
features it exhibits cannot be disputed as typical of
the earliest rifles used to harvest the buffalo herds
and defend the frontier. That this Springfield
Rifle survived in the condition that it presents is
remarkable, and it deserves a place in a collection
where its historical importance will be appreciated.
$995
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