Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

SPRINGFIELD 45-70 TRAPDOOR CAVALRY

AC57
HELLO, I HAVE A 45-70 SPRINGFIELD CAVALRY MODEL CAN ANYBODY TELL ME HOW TO TELL IF THIS IS A VINTAGE WEAPON OR IF IT IS A REPRODUCTION.

THANK YOU BILL I APOLOGIZE FOR A UNEDUCATED QUESTION I JUST NEED SOME DIRECTION. I ASSUME THE SERIAL NUMBER IS 329565. ON THE HAMMER SIDE PLATE IT HAS THE EAGLE ENGRAVING AND THE WORDS U. S. SPRINGFIELD ON THE TOP OF THE TRAP DOOR NEAR THE HINGE IT READS U.S. MODEL THE ONLY LETTERING ON THE BARREL IS ON THE OFF SIDE OF THE HAMMER WHERE THE BARREL MEETS THE MAIN BODY VERTICALY STAMPED V P {WHAT LOOKS LIKE A BIRD HEAD} AND BELOW CANT TELL IF IT IS ANOTHER P OR F IN THE CENTER OF THE BARREL DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE LETTERING IS AN A ON THE BUTT END OF THE STOCK ON THE BOTTOM I CAN FAINTLY READ TWO NUMBERS 39 OR 89 THANKS AGAIN
0

Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • Spider7115
    A lot of "Cavalry" (not Calvary) carbines have been cut down from rifles. However, it's possible yours is authentic but you need to post good pics of it for a fair evaluation. By the serial number, it was manufactured in 1886.
    0
  • AC57
    SORRY ABOUT THAT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY I WILL CERTAINLY TAKE SOME PICTURES TO POST, WILL TRY TO DO IT IN A FEW MINUTES IF I CAN FIGURE IT OUT. THANKS AGAIN, WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.
    0
  • AC57
    THANK YOU TRYING TO WORK THAT OUT NOW. BILL
    0
  • AC57
    SPRG1.jpg
    SPRG2.jpg[img][/img]SPRG3.jpg
    SPRG4.jpg
    SPRG5.jpg
    SPRG7.jpg
    SPRG6.jpg
    IMG_4154.JPG
    IMG_4157.JPG
    IMG_4158.JPG
    IMG_4160.JPG
    IMG_4162.JPG

    LETS TRY THIS COULD NOT GET THE MARKINGS ANY CLEARER HOPE THIS WILL BE OK
    THANKS AGAIN BILL
    0
  • gruntled
    The first thing that jumps out is no saddle ring bar on the left side. Mine is the same way but I got it for free from my grandfather who got it when his father died. If I knew how to post pictures everyone could have fun counting all the things that are wrong with it. (Cadet length barrel, wrong sights & who knows what else but it is an 1873 & the price was right.)
    0
  • Spider7115
    Thanks for the pics. You definitely have a refinished gun with a cutdown rifle stock. Carbines had sling bars on the side and did not have sling swivels on the trigger guard. If you look at the bottom of the forearm, you should see wood filler where the rifle cleaning rod channel once was. You can also see it from the inside by removing the barrel. As it appears to have a long wrist and smooth trigger, the stock, trigger and trigger guard would be from an early Model 1873 although the barrel and sight are from an 1884 model.

    I can't tell about the barrel. What is the exact barrel length from the muzzle to the face of the breech? Is the rear sight stamped on the top right by the knob with an "R" or a "C"? See pic below. Can you show closeups of the end of the barrel and front sight?

    peep-buffington-web.jpg
    0
  • AC57
    HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY CAMERA, THE REAR SIGHT DOES HAVE A R STAMPED ON IT JUST LIKE THE PICTURE POSTED, THE EXACT BARREL LENGTH FROM THE TIP OF THE MUZZLE TO THE BREECH IS BETWEEN 20 11/16" AND 20 3/4" MY TAPE MAY MAY HAVE SOME WEAR IN IT THOUGH. I WILL TRY TO WORK ON THOSE PICTURES ALSO. SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO REPLY. THANKS BILL
    0
  • Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by AC57
    HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY CAMERA, THE REAR SIGHT DOES HAVE A R STAMPED ON IT JUST LIKE THE PICTURE POSTED, THE EXACT BARREL LENGTH FROM THE TIP OF THE MUZZLE TO THE BREECH IS BETWEEN 20 11/16" AND 20 3/4" MY TAPE MAY MAY HAVE SOME WEAR IN IT THOUGH. I WILL TRY TO WORK ON THOSE PICTURES ALSO. SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO REPLY. THANKS BILL


    Hi, Bill - OK, youhave a rifle sight (carbines are stamped "C") and your barrel has also been cut as I suspected. Carbines have a 22" barrel. I'm sorry to say but you pretty much have a "parts gun" with little collector value. However, it might be a decent shooter if you have the breech and bore inepcted thoroughly by a qualified gunsmith.
    0
  • gruntled
    It depends on where he is measuring to. When he says "to the breech" he may mean the front of where the barrel screws in. If you add that amount it would come out about 22". I didn't know about the rear sling swivel on the trigger guard so you can add that "error" to mine as well.
    0
  • Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by gruntled
    It depends on where he is measuring to. When he says "to the breech" he may mean the front of where the barrel screws in. If you add that amount it would come out about 22". I didn't know about the rear sling swivel on the trigger guard so you can add that "error" to mine as well.


    Rifles had swivels on the trigger guard and barrel band. Carbines had the sling bar and ring on the side and none on the guard.

    AC57's "carbine" may very well have been made by Bannerman's who often made carbines out of leftover rifle parts and sold them for a few dollars on the civilian market.
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity