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LOT 1152
Excellent and Rare U.S. Springfield Officer’s Model 1875 Type II Trapdoor Rifle - NSN, 45-70 Government cal., 26 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. This is an outstanding example of a rare Type II U.S. Springfield Model 1875 Trapdoor Officer’s Model rifle. Only a reported 477 total Officer’s Model rifles of three types were manufactured by the Springfield Armory between 1875 and 1885 to fulfill the request by U.S. Army officers for suitable sporting rifles for use in hunting and target shooting. Of those, 252 are estimated to have been this Type II configuration, manufactured c. 1877-1881, showing features of the Model 1877 and 1879 rifles. The Officer’s Models are easily among the most desirable of all the rifles manufactured by the Springfield Armory thanks
to their rarity, quality, and connection to military officers. They are not serial numbered, but this rifle is marked “14” on the inside of the trigger guard bow. In function, the rifle is a standard trapdoor rifle with a low-arch breech block. However, it is embellished with traditional acanthus scroll engraving on the forend cap, receiver, breech block, lock, hammer, trigger guard and buttplate. The lock has the standard markings including an eagle and shield behind “U.S./SPRINGFIELD”, the breech block is marked “U.S./MODEL/1873”, standard “V/P/eagle head” proofs on the upper left of the barrel at the breech, a circled script “P” proofmark behind the checkered panel on the underside of the stock, and “US” on the buttplate tang. It also features a shorter 26 inch barrel fitted with a folding combination blade and globe Beach front sight, a Model 1879 buckhorn rear sight graduated 1-5 on the left side of the stepped
base and 6-12 on the ladder, and fitted with a Springfield tang mounted peep sight. It has a traditional style cleaning rod of the early nickeled and knurled type mounted below the barrel, single set trigger, walnut sporting stock with checkered forend and wrist, and a detachable checkered walnut pistol grip.
