US Civil War Springfield Model 1866 Trapdoor Rifle

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Art & Artifacts of North America

By Artemis Gallery

Apr 28, 2022

Set Reminder 2022-04-28 12:00:00 2022-04-28 12:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Art & Artifacts of North America https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/art-artifacts-of-north-america-9276
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• Lot Description
  North America, United States, Massachusetts, Springfield, Civil War era, ca. 1865 to 1866 CE. A converted Springfield Model 1866 breech loading rifle with a lengthy iron barrel, thick backstock and iron rings for shoulder straps. The lockplate is stamped before the hammer "1865," the eagle emblem after the hammer, and "U.S. SPRINGFIELD," while the breech block above the hammer is stamped "1866" over an eagle head. The different years are due to the gun's conversion and rifling to a .50 caliber weapon to use with the new government issued cartridge - the breech block was dated, and the original 1865 lockplate was kept. The barrel is full sized with 3 ring fittings, and the hefty wood back stock is engraved by a previous owner with a X on both sides, and the iron butt cap is stamped "U.S." Size (full): 55" L x 4.5" W (139.7 cm x 11.4 cm); (bore): 0.5" W (1.3 cm)
  
  Breechloading guns were loaded from the rear of the barrel, allowing the shooter to easily load and shoot more quickly than with muzzleloader rifles. The breech-loading weapons increased the rate of fire from three to four rounds per minute to eight to ten rounds per minute. This technology was revolutionary for the time and the Springfield rifle slogan was "the Gun That Made One Man The Equal Of Five," and conversion to breechloading cost about five dollars vs a new rifle cost about twenty dollars. Unsurprisingly the U.S. military opted to convert most Springfield M1863 guns to breech-loading or "Trapdoor Springfields" to save money.
  
  Provenance: private Conover, North Carolina, USA collection
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
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  Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
  
  #171235

  Condition

  Age and use expected wear- losses to wood around lockplate and adhesive residue from repair to this area. Chips along ramrod groove and backstock. Trigger and hammer articulate and trapdoor mechanism for breechloading opens. The X motifs engraved in stock are probably by original owner as identification marks. Some rubbing to stamps, but all are legible. Gun has not been tested for firing functionality.
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