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LOT 1093
Outstanding U.S. Springfield Model 1879 Trapdoor Saddle Ring Carbine - Serial no. 145957, 45-70 cal., 22 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. This incredible Springfield Model 1879 Trapdoor carbine is essentially near mint and is a very rare glimpse of what these carbines looked like when they were first issued. Only around 15,000 Model 1879 carbines were made compared to around 140,000 of the rifles, and many saw hard use in the Indian Wars. It features a pinned blade front sight, Buckhorn rear sight correctly marked with a “C” on both the base and ladder, “V/P/eagle head/P” on the barrel at the breech on the upper left, a “D” on the upper right, a boxed script “SWP/1880” (Samuel W. Porter)
CONDITION: Excellent as issued condition overall. This carbine retains 98% plus of
the original blue and casehardened finish and exhibits only very minor age and handling related wear. The stock has an extraordinarily crisp cartouche and firing proof, beautiful feathered grain, smooth oiled finish, and only a few very minor storage dings. Mechanically excellent. This is absolutely one of the finest we’ve ever sold! Provenance: The Greg Lampe Collection.
Estimate: 18,000 - 27,500
inspection cartouche stamped on the left side of the short wrist stock, circled script “P” firing proof behind the lower tang. The stock compartment holds a three-piece cleaning rod and 1st pattern ruptured shell extractor. Springfield introduced the compartment, cleaning rod, and extractor following the disastrous Battle of Little Bighorn and reports of carbines taken out of
action by stuck shells.
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