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MODEL 1866 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE – MODIFIED FOR USE ON
THE EARLY WESTERN PLAINS – A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF A
FAVORED BUFFALO RIFLE – EXCELLENT HISTORICAL RIFLE:
One of the first, truly
serviceable, cartridge conversions executed by the
Springfield Armory and issued to the soldiers on the
western frontier, the Model 1866 Springfield Rifle
acquitted itself very well through a series of notable
engagements, including the Hayfield and Wagon Box
fights. In addition to proving to be a valuable weapon
in the hands of the army, it is no surprise that it
became a popular rifle with the civilian hunters and
frontiersmen as well.
Probably the most famous
Model 1866 belonged to William “Buffalo Bill” Cody,
which Cody described as “my celebrated
buffalo-killer, ‘Lucretia Borgia’ - a newly-improved
breech-loading needle gun, which I had obtained from the
government”.
A real pleasure to offer, this Model 1866 Springfield
Rifle
recently emerged from a very 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 truly unique, and historically important, 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 36.6” (in bore) to 29.5”, likely to make the
rifle more manageable on horse back, and the forearm was
reduced back a further 7” from the muzzle. The muzzle
cut is nicely done, and while left with a flat surface
rather than being crowned, it was well executed.
Even more interesting is the alteration of both the rear
and front sights. The original rear sight was removed
and reversed, placing the leaf so it folds towards the
muzzle, and a distinctive buckhorn sight was added to
what is now the rear of the sight. The leaf can still be
raised for longer range shooting. The original front
sight was completely removed and replaced with a
dovetailed base mounting a large silver blade that
appears to have been cut from a coin, as it still shows
remnants of an unidentifiable stamping on both sides.
The metal is overall smooth with a pleasant naturally
aged patina.
The lock is dated 1863 and the
lock stampings are present and legible, as is the “1866”
and the eagle head on the breech block. The bore is
very good with strong rifling throughout and no
pitting. The lock action is crisp and the breechblock
is tight.
The stock has a beautiful, aged honey 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
rear barrel band shows the characteristic wear of having
been carried over the pommel of a saddle, again
indicative of a frontier used rifle.
Through the contemporary journals and the subsequent
research that has been published, the firearms employed
during the history of our country have been well
documented, but seldom is found a first person account
attributed to a well known Western personality that
directly addresses, and so closely describes, a unique
firearm such as this modified Model 1866 Springfield
Rifle. As quoted on page 134 in Firearms of the
American West, 1866-1894 by Garavaglia and Worman,
William Breakenridge, describing his days in Colorado in
his book Helldorado, recounts his good fortune in
1867 when he acquired a Model 1866 Springfield:
“The Government had taken the old
Springfield rifle and converted it into a breech-loading
needle gun of very long range. It would carry a mile or
more. I bought one from a soldier when they were
first issued, and by cutting off about four inches of
the barrel, I was able to retain it as a condemned
piece. I resighted it with peep sights and it
would shoot right where I held it; and I was a good
shot.”
This is truly a special 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 a wonder
in itself, and it deserves a place in a collection where
its historical importance will be appreciated. SOLD
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