Springfield Model 1884
Springfield Armory (US Government) · Rifle · Discontinued · 1884
Also known as: Trapdoor Springfield, U.S. Model 1884 Rifle, Springfield Trapdoor Model 1884, 1884 Trapdoor
Overview
The Springfield Model 1884 is a single-shot, breech-loading service rifle and the final major iteration of the U.S. Army's 'trapdoor' Springfield family. Chambered in the .45-70 Government cartridge, it retains the hinged trapdoor breechblock of the earlier Model 1873 but introduces the Buffington rear sight, a windage-adjustable ladder sight graduated to long range that markedly improved the rifle's accuracy. It served as the principal U.S. infantry arm through the late Indian Wars and was still in volunteer service during the Spanish-American War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3760 g (132.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1314 mm (51.73") |
| Barrel Length | 826 mm (32.52") |
| Action Type | Trapdoor |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | None |
| Muzzle Velocity | 411 m/s (1348 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2215 J (1634 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 550 m (601 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2300 m (2515 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 559 mm (22.01") |
| Number of Grooves | 3 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .45-70 Government · primary — also known as .45-70, .45-70 Govt, .45-70-405, 11.6x53mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Hinged Trapdoor Breechblock, Single Shot, Buffington Rear Sight, Windage Adjustable Rear Sight, Ramrod Cleaning Rod, Socket Bayonet Lug
Variants
- Springfield Model 1884 Cadet Rifle — Training Rifle
Base model
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1884 · as U.S. Rifle, Model 1884
Conflicts
- American Indian Wars (1884-1890)
- Spanish-American War (1898)
Production
Production years: 1884-1893
The Model 1884 was produced at Springfield Armory through the early 1890s; the broader trapdoor family across all model years exceeded 700,000 units before the bolt-action Krag-Jorgensen superseded it.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Erskine S. Allin
Discontinued: 1893
Notes
The defining change over the Model 1873 was the adoption of the Model 1884 Buffington rear sight. Production used the metric-graduated Buffington sight and later refinements such as the rod bayonet on the related Model 1888.
Background
By the time the Model 1884 entered service, the single-shot trapdoor was already an anachronism beside European repeaters, yet the U.S. Army kept refining it rather than re-tooling. The Buffington sight that distinguishes the 1884 was named for Major Adelbert Buffington of the Ordnance Department, and the trapdoor finally gave way to the bolt-action Krag-Jorgensen in the 1890s.