Springfield Model 1865 Allin Conversion
Springfield Armory (US Government) · Rifle · Discontinued · 1865
Also known as: First Allin Conversion, First Model Allin, Trapdoor Springfield (1865), Allin Conversion Model 1865
Overview
The Springfield Model 1865 Allin Conversion is a single-shot, breech-loading rifle developed at the U.S. Springfield Armory by Master Armorer Erskine S. Allin. As the first of the 'Allin conversions', it was created by milling open the breech of surplus Civil War .58-caliber muzzle-loading rifle-muskets and fitting a hinged 'trapdoor' breechblock that swung upward to chamber a metallic .58 rimfire cartridge. A long firing pin running through the breechblock was struck by the rifle's original percussion-musket hammer. It established the trapdoor breech mechanism that would define American service rifles for the next two decades, though its underpowered rimfire cartridge and complex extractor led the Army to redesign it as the .50-70 Model 1866 within a year.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4080 g (143.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1448 mm (57.01") |
| Barrel Length | 1016 mm (40.00") |
| Action Type | Trapdoor |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | None |
| Muzzle Velocity | 290 m/s (951 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1362 J (1005 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 270 m (295 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 730 m (798 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 8 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 3 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Bright |
Calibers
- .58 Rimfire · primary — also known as .58-60-500, .58 Musket Rimfire
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loading
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Hinged Trapdoor Breechblock, Converted Muzzleloader, Rack And Pinion Extractor, Open Sights
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1865 · as Model 1865
Conflicts
- American Indian Wars (1865-1866)
Production
Estimated total produced: 5,000 · Production years: 1865-1866
Approximately 5,000 surplus Model 1861/1863 rifled muskets were converted to the Model 1865 'First Allin' pattern at Springfield Armory before the design was superseded by the .50-70 Model 1866.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Erskine S. Allin
Discontinued: 1866
Notes
About 5,000 Civil War rifled muskets were converted to the Model 1865 'First Allin' pattern, chambered for the ineffective .58 rimfire cartridge. The design's shortcomings led directly to the rechambered .50-70 'Second Allin' Model 1866. Allin received U.S. Patent No. 49,959 for the conversion on September 19, 1865.
Background
Faced with a million-plus obsolete muzzle-loading rifle-muskets left over from the Civil War, Master Armorer Erskine Allin devised a thrifty 'Yankee' fix: cut open the breech of an existing musket, hinge on a trapdoor, and turn a slow muzzleloader into a breechloader. The 1865 'First Allin' was the prototype of that idea, but its weak .58 rimfire round persuaded the Army to swiftly rework it into the harder-hitting .50-70 of 1866.