Original Item: Only One Available. The Springfield model 1871 rolling-block U.S. Army rifle was manufactured in 1871–72 by Springfield Armory, using the design originated by Remington Arms Company, under a royalty agreement. This example is in lovely condition, with a great patina from use in service and subsequent cleaning. It does not look to have been carried much, so the stock is in great shape, and it saw very little firing, as the bore is simply fantastic.

The right side of the receiver is marked with the maker and date:

The left side is marked with the model number:

The tang of the receiver is marked with the patent licensing information:

The barrel bands are marked with "U" as standard with Springfield Armory produced weapons. There is also an oval ESA cartouche on the left side of the butt stock by the receiver, for Erskine. S. Allin, Master Armorer at Springfield Armory from 1853 until his death in 1879, as well as the designer of the trapdoor system.

The condition of the rifle is very nice, with just a little peppering on parts of the metalwork, and otherwise has a worn gray patina from cleaning over its long life. The stocks are very nice, with little sign of wear or use. The barrel is pretty much unfired, with a bright finish and crisp lands and grooves. The action works great, with the ejector presenting, and the hammer properly drops to half cock after the breech is closed. Both barrel bands are present, and the cleaning rod is still included.

This is a lovely example of the Model 1871, with a great gently used look. Ready to display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1872
Caliber: .50-70 Government
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 36 Inches
Overall Length: 52 Inches
Action type: Rolling Block with Rear Hammer
Feed System: Single Shot

History of the Springfield M.1871 Remington—Army

During the U.S. Civil War, Joseph Rider experimented with several breech loading weapon designs. In 1865, he was issued the first patent for what would evolve into the Remington rolling block action. The Remingtons continued to invest in Rider's work, and met with Ordnance Department officials in the hope of interesting them in this new design. The U.S. Navy Ordnance Department became interested in the design, and purchased several different models of rifles from 1867 through 1869. Field trials of these various rifles yielded mostly positive results.

In 1869, the Navy Bureau of Ordnance tested many different weapons, and settled on the .50 caliber Remington Rolling Block for use by both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marines. An order was placed for 10,000 model 1870 rifles. After the rifles were produced, Navy inspectors realized that the rear sights had been positioned incorrectly, and were dangerously close to the chamber, making the weapon unsafe for use. All 10,000 rifles were rejected, and were subsequently sold to France for use in the Franco-Prussian War. The sale of the defective rifles enabled enough funds to be recovered that the Navy Ordnance Department ordered an additional 12,000 rifles.

Following the success of the model 1870, the Governor of New York ordered 15,000 Remington rolling block rifles and bayonets for his state's militia. These model 1871 rifles were very similar to the model 1870 rifles, but differed in some details. Field experience with the model 1870 showed that the mechanism jammed too easily in dusty conditions. Users also did not like loading the weapon at full cock. The model 1871 included a locking bolt in the breech mechanism. The user pulled the hammer to the full cock position, retracted the breech block spur to expose the chamber, and inserted the cartridge. When the breech block closed, the hammer automatically fell to the half cock position, and the weapon could not be fired until the hammer was once again pulled to the full cock position.

Over 20,000 model 1871 rifles were eventually purchased by the state of New York. The U.S. Army did not greet the Remingtons with much enthusiasm, despite its superiority to the standard-issue Springfield model 1870. Foreign sales of the weapon were much more successful. Denmark ordered many of the model 1870 and 1871 rifles. In 1873, Spain ordered 50,000 model 1871 rifles, which were delivered in 1875. Numerous other countries, such as France, Chile, Argentina, Cuba, Greece, and Puerto Rico also purchased this rifle.

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.