Tell me about the 1873 trapdoor Springfield I found

[shooter88]

Nothing even close with the serial number, except through that range they are all rifles... It sounds like a nice gun and I'd pay that for it.

Thank you. When I look up "model 1883 Springfield Trapdoor", I don't get many results, and a lot of websites that I have looked at seem to even skip that year. Were these rifles made in 1883? Im wondering if the stamp was just done in a way that it looks like 1883. I also looked up the SN, and the chart I looked at puts it around 1873...?

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[Patrick Chadwick]

Thank you. When I look up "model 1883 Springfield Trapdoor", I don't get many results, and a lot of websites that I have looked at seem to even skip that year. Were these rifles made in 1883? Im wondering if the stamp was just done in a way that it looks like 1883. I also looked up the SN, and the chart I looked at puts it around 1873...?

No great surprise. Before paying that kind of money for any rifle, get first-class information.

In particular, "The 45-70 Springfield" by Frasca & Hill. P181 ff. describes how obsolete (and condemned) parts were sold off and then used by private companies to assemble "bitser" Trapdoors, with early serial numbers being frequent to con the clueless into thinking that they were getting an early original! Google "Bannerman Arms" and see what comes up.

Yes, the book is expensive. Buying a fake is more expensive.