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Hi Guys
I recently purchase a Trapdoor Carbine over here in the UK and am keen to find out some information on its history.
Serial number is 42284 and I am told it could possibly be what is known as a Custer period rifle? Not sure about this as I dont know too much about them.
The stock is the long wrist stock and the sight has rivet mountings. Also the action has three stages and it has the saddle ring fitted.
Not sure how to put photos on yet.
Any help or info is greatly appreciated.
Tim
According to my information, serial number 42284 would have been produced in 1875. About 20,000 carbines were produced in 1873-5, but just about none in 1876. So yes, "Custer period" - with the 20,000 others.
Thanks for the info. I don't suppose you know where I can find info on the serial number. Such as where it was issued, units, how it may have ended up in the Uk etc
When England was in emergency at the beginning of the second war, the call went out in the US for "Guns for England" and everything you can name was collected up, turned in and sent over. There have been guns from single action army Colts onward, and every type of rifle and shotgun known to man that have been associated with this...
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Did you have it checked to verify it is an original carbine and not a cut down? Lot of rifles were cut down back in the day. There are many different items to check to complete this check. I'm no expert, but there are guys out there who can help in this matter. That serial number makes it ripe for tampering due to prices!!!
Good luck.
I have a copy of a article on Custer guns from the 1974 edition of the Arms Gazette magazine that mentions the serial numbers of some of the re-captured Indian guns taken at the Little Big Horn battle and one of the Carbines listed is serial number #42259. That is pretty close to yours but the guns were shipped to the 7th Cav in crates of 20 having intermixed serial numbers with no sequence of serial numbers in the crates. The only way one can be sure a carbine was there is if it has proven documentation. Your carbine is at least identified as a possible Custer carbine. Some high 42000 serial numbers were identified as shpped to Custer's "C" company and Benteen's D, I, and K. Ray
I just posted about the carbine I have that is also a possible like yours here,
Possible 7th Cav Custer carbine
Like what Ray says, I think if you went through the Crow nation houses on the Bighorn reserve, you'd find more battlefield pickups that anywhere in the world. I think most of the Custer guns reside within a few mile radius of the battlefield.