Maynard Model 1873
Massachusetts Arms Company · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1873
Also known as: Maynard 1873, Maynard Improved Model 1873
Overview
The Maynard Model 1873 is a single-shot, breech-loading sporting rifle built on Dr. Edward Maynard's tip-up barrel action and manufactured by the Massachusetts Arms Company of Chicopee Falls. Introduced in 1873, it replaced the earlier percussion-primed Maynard carbines with self-contained centerfire metallic cartridges, and was offered in a graded line of hunting, gallery and target rifles chambered from .22 up to .50 caliber, with .35, .40, .44 and .50 rifle chamberings and .55/.64 shot barrels available. Its hallmark was a single receiver that accepted interchangeable rifle and shot barrels, prized for fine fit and excellent accuracy in the Creedmoor-era schuetzen and hunting scene.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3630 g (128.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1067 mm (42.01") |
| Barrel Length | 660 mm (25.98") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 360 m/s (1181 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1134 J (836 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 200 m (219 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .40-50 Maynard · primary — also known as .40-50 Maynard 1873, .40 Maynard
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Tip Up Barrel, Interchangeable Barrels, Self Contained Metallic Cartridge, Hinged Primer Pocket Cover, Open Sights
Variants
- Maynard Model 1873 No. 9 Hunting Rifle - Hunting
- Maynard Model 1873 No. 10 Mid-Range Target - Target
- Maynard Model 1873 No. 15 Target Rifle - Target
Service history
Operators
- Civilian hunters and target shooters · adopted 1873
Production
Production years: 1873-1890
Produced by the Massachusetts Arms Company as a graded sporting-rifle line through the 1880s
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Edward Maynard
Discontinued: 1890
Notes
The Model 1873 line spanned numbered grades (e.g. No. 9 hunting, No. 10 and No. 15 target rifles). Interchangeable barrels let a shooter swap calibers or fit a shot barrel on one action. Early 1873 'thick Maynard' cartridges used a wide soldered head that allowed finger extraction.
Background
Dr. Edward Maynard was a prominent Washington dentist whose firearms inventions, including the Maynard tape primer, made him one of the most prolific American gun designers of the 19th century; his tip-up breechloaders earned a lasting reputation among match shooters for their accuracy.