Identify Springfield Rifle

[cerick1450]

Hello

 

Can anyone identify the vintage of this rifle, from just a photo of the side plate?  Is this civil war era?

Thank you

 

[sundance]

I'm no expert on this subject. You have a trapdoor there. It would not have been used in the Civil War in that configuration. I believe though, that a rifle used in the Civil War may have been converted to that breech loading trapdoor after the Civil War.

[Marktk36thIL]

Everything Sundance said. CW firearms were converted for post-War use.

[cerick1450]

Thank you

[GWS]

The serial number would go a long way to identify this model of trapdoor rifle.

[mikie]

If I remember correctly, the army started making trapdoors in 1866. Until the adoption of the M1873, they used modified Civil War rifles to make them.  The M1873 was an all new bird.  These were made and had numerous modifications until the Krag was adopted in 1892(?). But the trapdoors were still the main weapon of our troops in the Spanish War of 1898.  So yours is an Indian War / Spanish War era rifle.   

 

Mikie

 

[Marchville1918]

It is a Model 1873 Springfield trapdoor. Made in various configurations until I believe 1892 with the last being ramrod bayonet configuration.