was the 1873 springfield the only rifle made with a trapdoor action?
- Thread starter Rickyy101
- Start date
The earliest metallic-cartridge breechloaders designed for general military issue began as conversions of muzzle-loading rifle-muskets. The upper rear portion of the barrel was filed or milled away and replaced by a hinged breechblock which opened upward to permit loading. An internal angled firing pin allowed the re-use of the rifle's existing side-hammer. The Allin action made by Springfield Arsenal in the US hinged forward; the Snider-Enfield used by the British opened to the side. Whereas the British quickly replaced the Snider with a dropping-block Peabody style Martini action, the US Army felt the trapdoor action to be adequate and followed its muzzleloader conversions with the new-production Springfield Model 1873, which was the principal longarm of the Indian Wars and was still in service with some units in the Spanish-American War.
Other trapdoor actions include the rare Confederate Tarpley carbine, the Austrian Wanzl, the Belgian Albini-Braendlin rifle and Terssen conversion (some of which were made from French 1777 pattern flintlocks!), the M1842/59/67 Swiss Milbank-Amsler, the M1859/67 Spanish Berdan, and the Colt-manufactured Russian Berdan Type I. All of these designs save the 1863 Tarpley date from the period 1865-1869, and all but the Tarpley and the Russian Berdan were conversions from muzzle-loaders.
Wiki
Other trapdoor actions include the rare Confederate Tarpley carbine, the Austrian Wanzl, the Belgian Albini-Braendlin rifle and Terssen conversion (some of which were made from French 1777 pattern flintlocks!), the M1842/59/67 Swiss Milbank-Amsler, the M1859/67 Spanish Berdan, and the Colt-manufactured Russian Berdan Type I. All of these designs save the 1863 Tarpley date from the period 1865-1869, and all but the Tarpley and the Russian Berdan were conversions from muzzle-loaders.
Wiki
Springfield Armory developed the "trapdoor" action through a directive from the Government to utilize as much of the current 58 Caliber Percussion musket as possible. This occurred in 1865. The "First Allin's Conversion" Model 1865 used nearly 45 individual parts and about 65 to 70 machining cuts to convert an 1863 58 Percussion musket into a 58 rim-fire breech-loader using the trapdoor action. There were 5000 of these conversions made in 1865. Tests indicated that the ballistics of eh 58 rimfire cartridge were not an improvement over the 58 percussion. A directive was issued to develop a 50 caliber cartridge and a strengthened and simplified trapdoor action still utilizing as much of the original percussion musket as possible. The "Second Allin's Conversion" Model 1866 was produced in a 50-70-450 caliber with about 25,000 were built in 1866. The 58 caliber barrel was bored out to 70 caliber and a 50 caliber sleeve was brazed inside, thus using the original musket barrel. The Model 1866 was the gun used at the Wagon-Box fight near Fort Phil Kearny in 1867. In 1868 Springfield designed a "Trapdoor" action with a 32" barrel in 50-70 and fitted it to a musket stock and lock, this was the Model 1868. This was followed by the Model 1870 which featured a slightly changed receiver withe same caliber and barrel length. The model 1873 used a similar receiver as the M1870 though now chambered in 45-70. I will mention that the Model 1870 was also produced in a carbine version with a 22" barrel. There was a Model 1867, Model 1868 and Model Cadet rifles produced.
I hope this answers your question.
Cheers
I hope this answers your question.
Cheers
