Springfield 1873 ID help
Hey all, I acquired this 1873 as part of a bundle in an estate sale. This is a little out of my area and can't find anything in my research showing the stock going all the way to the end of the barrel. It has the standard 1873 markings, serial# 193291 (1883) and a "U" on one of the bands. If it is an original it has been blued and the stock has been sanded and varnished. not a good thing.
My guess is that somewhere along the way somebody redid it, blueing the gun and putting some after market stock on it. There is no checkering on it, the wood is to light colored (tan) and shiny.
I'm hoping somebody can help with these poor pics, My camera went kaput so all I have is my cell phone. If other info is needed please let know. I should be able to get better pics in the daylight tomorrow too. Probably should of waited and done that, but impatient I guess.[:(!]
Thanks All
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My guess is that somewhere along the way somebody redid it, blueing the gun and putting some after market stock on it. There is no checkering on it, the wood is to light colored (tan) and shiny.
I'm hoping somebody can help with these poor pics, My camera went kaput so all I have is my cell phone. If other info is needed please let know. I should be able to get better pics in the daylight tomorrow too. Probably should of waited and done that, but impatient I guess.[:(!]
Thanks All
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A small number of what were called "Cadet" rifles of the Model 1873 were made, both by Springfield and Bannerman. The barrels were shorter than the standard Infantry rifle. You might have one of the "Cadet" barreled actions that was mated with a standard Infantry Trap Door Stock.
If it was a original Springfield Armory "Cadet", it would probably worth slightly more money. Then if it was one put together by Bannerman. Need a hands on by a pro to tell the difference though.0 -
Not only is the wood too light for an original stock but the band springs are on the wrong side!
What's the barrel length?0 -
Muzzle flush with stock, nowhere to put a bayonet.
Not legit.
Sawn off or a service stock on a cadet barrel?
Armory cadet rifles don't have sling swivels, although some surplus conversions do.
Buffed and blued.
A serviceable shooter if the bore is good, but not collectable.0 -
Yeah, def. not collectible. I paid bout a $100 bucks for it knowing even if it was original it wasn't worth anything. was just after a shooter.
The barrel measures just 32 9/16th" from the very forward part of the trapdoor and 31 1/16th" from the front of the breech lock(forward part of the front hump).0 -
Sounds like an original barrel with a longer stock. Stock may be from an earlier, longer type of Springfield and cut down just enough to fit. Could be a movie gun made to resemble a "Kentucky". Whatever, you did well, the cleaning rod and sling are worth $100. 0 -
Thanks all, will just call it a re-done morphadite 1873. It's a shame, but at least I got a cheap shooter. Now its time to go shoot it. 0 -
That's a thought, gartman. It might be a rifle musket stock cut down from a 40" barrel w. bayonet to flush on the 31" trapdoor barrel. 0 -
Upon closer inspection I would have to agree with gartman also. All the cutouts are not very clean. Looks like they were resized or added with a dremmel tool, except where the ramrod would go, it has clean edges and the cleaning rod doesn't quite fit properly.
The front band( the part at the end of the stock) is not blued and probably not to the gun. The wood also is not cut just quite right. Looks like it was cut down and then trimmed to put it back on.
Probably a repro Springfield muzzle loader stock cut to fit. The work is not shoddy, but you def. can tell where it was factory machined and where it was changed to fit the 1873.
Thnx again all
P.S. but the band springs are still on the wrong side!0
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