Springfield Model 1888 Trapdoor
Springfield Armory (US Government) · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1888
Also known as: Model 1888, M1888 Trapdoor, Springfield Trapdoor Model 1888, U.S. Rifle Model 1888
Overview
The Springfield Model 1888 Trapdoor is a single-shot, breech-loading service rifle chambered in .45-70 Government. It was the final production iteration of the Springfield 'Trapdoor' family that used Erskine S. Allin's hinged breechblock, distinguished from the earlier Model 1884 chiefly by its rod bayonet, which slides out from beneath the barrel and locks forward to form a thin spike bayonet that also doubles as a cleaning rod. The last single-shot rifle to enter regular U.S. military service, it equipped the Army into the 1890s before being superseded by the bolt-action Krag-Jorgensen.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4250 g (149.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1334 mm (52.52") |
| Barrel Length | 829 mm (32.64") |
| 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 | 1800 m (1968 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, 11.6x53mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Hinged Breechblock, Ramrod Bayonet, Buffington Rear Sight, One Piece Trigger Guard, Front Sight Hood
Base model
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1888 · as U.S. Magazine... Model 1888
Conflicts
- Spanish-American War (1898)
- American Indian Wars (1888-1890)
Production
Estimated total produced: 65,000 · Production years: 1890-1893
Over 60,000 Model 1888 rifles produced at Springfield Armory before the trapdoor was replaced in front-line service by the Krag-Jorgensen.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Erskine S. Allin
Discontinued: 1893
Notes
Often catalogued alongside the Model 1884; the defining change of the 1888 was the adoption of the ramrod (rod) bayonet in place of a separate socket bayonet. Production ran at Springfield Armory roughly 1890-1893.
Background
Though many were still in Army inventories at the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898, the black-powder Trapdoor's smoky signature put regular and volunteer troops still carrying it at a marked disadvantage against Spanish forces armed with smokeless-powder Mauser rifles.