Springfield Model 1873 Officer's Rifle
Springfield Armory (US Government) · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1875
Also known as: Model 1875 Officer's Rifle, Officer's Model Trapdoor, Springfield Officer's Rifle
Overview
The Springfield Model 1873 Officer's Rifle (formally introduced as the Model 1875 Officer's Rifle) was a deluxe, privately purchased sporting variant of the standard 'trapdoor' Springfield, built on the same .45-70 hinged-breechblock action designed by Erskine S. Allin. Intended to give US Army officers a high-quality hunting and target rifle in the service cartridge, it featured a shorter 26-inch barrel, a checkered half-stock with pewter forend tip, fine sporting sights including a tang-mounted peep sight, and a single-set trigger. Only a few hundred were made, making it one of the scarcest and most desirable of all trapdoor Springfields.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3630 g (128.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1143 mm (45.00") |
| Barrel Length | 660 mm (25.98") |
| Action Type | Trapdoor |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 411 m/s (1348 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2213 J (1632 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1006 m (1100 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 558 mm (21.97") |
| Number of Grooves | 3 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .45-70 Government · primary — also known as .45-70, .45-70-405, 11.63x53mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loading
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Single Shot, Hinged Breechblock, Checkered Stock, Globe Front Sight, Buckhorn Rear Sight, Tang Mounted Peep Sight, Set Trigger, Pewter Forend Tip
Base model
Service history
Operators
- United States Army (officers, private purchase) · adopted 1875 · as Officer's Model
Production
Estimated total produced: 477 · Production years: 1875-1885
Roughly 477 produced over three sub-types; a scarce officer's private-purchase sporting arm
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Erskine S. Allin
Discontinued: 1885
Notes
Officially designated the Model 1875 Officer's Rifle but built on and grouped with the Model 1873 trapdoor family. Approximately 477 produced 1875-1885. Distinct from the standard springfield-trapdoor-1873 infantry rifle.
Background
Far rarer than the rank-and-file trapdoor, the Officer's Rifle was a status symbol an officer bought with his own money, complete with checkered walnut, a pop-up tang peep sight and a hair-trigger set mechanism, blurring the line between issued service arm and gentleman's sporting rifle.