Another issue was the copper held in leather carriers created a green film that would effectively weld the case into the breech of the carbine when fired. The rifle was originally issued with a copper cartridge case and used in the American West during the second half of the 19th century, but the soldiers soon discovered that the copper expanded excessively in the breech upon firing.
This cartridge had a correspondingly reduced muzzle velocity of 1,100 feet per second (340 m/s) and a somewhat reduced effective range. A reduced-power load of 55 grains (3.6 g) of powder (Carbine Load) was manufactured for use in the carbine to lighten recoil for mounted cavalry soldiers. It had a muzzle velocity of 1,350 feet per second (410 m/s), making it a powerful and effective load for the skirmish tactics of the era. The rifle cartridge was designated as ".45-70-405", indicating a. 99 Springfield" which became the Model 1873. Firing tests were held at the Springfield Armory and Governor's Island where the average rate of fire for the Springfield was 8 rounds per minute for new recruits and 15 rounds per minute for experienced soldiers. Both single shot and magazine equipped systems were considered but, at the time, the single shot was deemed to be more reliable. The trials included tests for accuracy, dependability, rate-of-fire, and ability to withstand adverse conditions.
Terry, conducted an examination and trial of 99 rifles from several domestic and foreign manufacturers including those from Springfield, Sharps, Peabody, Whitney, Spencer, Remington, and Winchester pursuant to the selection of a breech-loading system for rifles and carbines for the U.S. In 1872–1873 a military board, headed by Brigadier-General Alfred H. It was superseded by an improved model, the Springfield Model 1884, also in. The infantry rifle model featured a 32 5⁄ 8-inch (829 mm) barrel, while the cavalry carbine used a 22-inch (560 mm) barrel. The Model 1873 was the fifth variation of the Allin trapdoor design, and was named for its hinged breechblock, which opened like a trapdoor. The gun, in both full-length and carbine versions, was widely used in subsequent battles against Native Americans. The Springfield Model 1873 was the first standard-issue breech-loading rifle adopted by the United States Army (although the Springfield Model 1866 had seen limited issue to troops along the Bozeman Trail in 1867). User dependent usually 8 to 10 rounds per minute If possible, could we get photos of the left side of the barrel just in front of the receiver a detail of the front sight the muzzle crown the underside of the stock fore-end and the buttplate? Those will make a good start in assisting the folks here who know more than I to help with more info.Breech-loading rifle Springfield Model 1873Ĭavalry carbine with 22 in (560 mm) barrel, That?s not necessarily unusual, as most of the early trapdoors were overhauled. Eyeballing it, it seems to have the short wrist/long comb configuration. The stock does not appear that it would have been original, as in the first stock placed on the gun. The eagle over crossed arrows on the door and the ?1873? on the lock plate also go with early guns. The rear sight is also early, and also retained by the original slotless screws.
I don?t recall the exact serial hotspot ranges for the 7th Cav, but I know some here do. That?s interesting as the pre-LBH carbines command a premium. But from what I recall, there are some notable features.įirst, it looks like rather a low number serial. Unfortunately I?m away from my books right now so I can?t help much. Most weapons will not appear - only a small minority of numbers appear in the SRS database, and they were not issued sequentially, so a miss is as good as a mile - but it is interesting to see the configurations (carbine, rifle) of nearby weapons.
SRS stands for Springfield Research Service, which compiled a list of serial numbers found during records searches.