U.S. Springfield Model 1873 Trapdoor Rifle

The standard American military rifle of the 1870s and 1880s and was the mainstay of the U.S. Army until it was replaced by the .30 U.S. (aka .30-40 Krag) in 1892. The Model 1873 Trapdoor Springfield was the first standard-issued breech-loading rifle adopted by the United States Army .
The gun, in both full-length and carbine versions, was widely used in the Black Hills War and in subsequent battles against the American Indians.

The Model 1873 was the fifth variation of the Allin trapdoor design, and was named for its hinged breechblock, which opened like a trapdoor. The infantry rifle model featured a 32⅝-inch (829 mm) barrel, while the cavalry carbine used a 22-inch (560 mm) barrel.

The rifle cartridge was designated as ".45-70-405", indicating a .45 caliber, 405-grain (26.2 g) bullet propelled by 70 grains (4.5 g) of black powder. It had a muzzle velocity of 1,350 feet per second (410 m/s), making it a powerful and effective load for the skirmish tactics of the era. General George Armstrong Custer's battalion was armed with the carbine version of this rifle at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in June 1876.

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Science & Technology

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• U.S.
• Springfield
• Model
• 1873
• Trapdoor
• Rifle