Original Item: Only One Available. This is a particularly compelling early U.S. Springfield Model 1873 .45-70 cavalry carbine, serial number 40018, manufactured during the first quarter of 1875 and therefore well before the June 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn. It retains a remarkable group of early features, including the long wrist or thin wrist stock without a butt trap, early high arch breech block with eagle and crossed arrows marking, 1873 dated lock plate, early stepped carbine rear sight, single barrel band with stacking swivel, and original saddle ring and bar. Serial 40018 also falls within the range collectors call the “Custer Range,” which are carbines within the known range of those issued to the 7th Cavalry during the Little Bighorn campaign.

This very carbine was featured and test fired in the IMA series The Cache with Alex Cranmer, watch the episode below.

This is an antique black powder firearm manufactured before 1899. Under federal law, it may generally be owned within the United States without a special license or permit and does not require transfer through a Federal Firearms Licensee. However, state and local laws may vary. This firearm is sold solely as a historical collector’s item and has not been test fired or inspected for firing safety by a professional gunsmith. Any mechanical or bore observations provided below describe only its present condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the firearm is safe to load or fire. The purchaser is solely responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The Model 1873 Trapdoor was adopted as the U.S. Army's new .45 caliber breechloading service arm during the early Indian Wars period. Built new at Springfield Arsenal rather than converted from Civil War rifle muskets, the Model 1873 rifle and carbine were chambered for the newly standardized .45-70 Government cartridge. The carbine version was intended for mounted troops and became one of the defining U.S. cavalry arms of the western frontier.

The first Model 1873 carbines began leaving Springfield late in 1873 and early in 1874, and examples were subsequently issued to a number of western cavalry units, including the 7th Cavalry. Because carbines used by the 7th Cavalry before the Battle of the Little Bighorn fall within the early production period, collectors commonly refer to carbines below approximately serial number 43,700 as “Custer range” or “Custer era” guns. This terminology describes a production range only. Serial number alone does not establish 7th Cavalry issue, Custer association, or battlefield use.

The serial number on this example is:

40018

Springfield production records place serial number 40018 within the January through March 1875 production period. It therefore predates the Battle of the Little Bighorn by more than a year and falls comfortably within the broad collector defined Custer serial range.

The early high arch breech block is marked:

MODEL
1873
(EAGLE)
(CROSSED ARROWS)
U.S.

This elaborate early marking and high arch breech block profile are desirable features of early Model 1873 production. The firing pin and return spring remain present, and the breech latch operates correctly during manual inspection.

The lock plate is marked with the Federal eagle together with:

U.S.
SPRINGFIELD
1873

The dated lock is another characteristic early feature. Several small dots have also been punched into the surface in a roughly V shaped arrangement. We have not identified their meaning and leave them unattributed.

The lock is fitted with the later three notch tumbler used during early Model 1873 production after an improvement was made to reduce the possibility of the hammer falling onto the firing pin while being drawn toward half cock. The tumbler holds and releases as expected during manual inspection.

No barrel proof marks are presently visible at the breech. We have preserved this observation without attempting to assign significance to their absence.

The rear sight is the early stepped carbine pattern and is graduated with five numbered steps:

1   2   3   4   5

The sight remains functional, although the ladder is somewhat stiff when raised. The carbine also retains its single barrel band with stacking swivel, another desirable early configuration feature.

The original saddle ring bar remains mounted to the left side of the stock and still retains its ring, an important feature on a genuine cavalry carbine.

The stock is the early long wrist or thin wrist type used before the later strengthening changes. It has not been cut for the butt stock storage compartment introduced with the revised Model 1877 carbine configuration. These early stocks were comparatively slender through the wrist and were prone to breakage in service, making survival without a major wrist repair especially welcome.

No readable inspector's cartouche is visible on the left side of the stock. Beneath the trigger guard area is the stylized:

P in a Circle

firing proof, indicating that the assembled arm passed its arsenal proof firing examination.

The underside of the stock ahead of the trigger guard is additionally stamped:

86

while the upper surface of the butt is marked:

A
15

The latter may represent a rack, inventory, or unit related marking, but we have no documentation allowing a positive attribution. Very faint stamped or scratched markings are also visible on the right side of the butt stock, but they are too indistinct to read.

The stock has worn down over many years of handling and service and is now approximately level with, or in places slightly below, the edge of the lock plate. Originally the wood would have stood somewhat proud of the metal. The American black walnut has developed a very attractive dark red brown color and displays the dents, dings, scratches, and handling wear expected from a heavily used cavalry arm.

We did not observe major structural cracks or obvious large repairs. There is, however, a drilled hole in the underside of the butt stock that appears as though it may once have accommodated some type of swivel or fitting. Its original purpose has not been established.

The exterior metalwork has a particularly appealing service worn appearance, with evidence of old oxidation, peppering, cleaning, and long handling beneath the present surface. The barrel, lock, and action now display a mottled plum brown and gray patina without major areas of heavy rusting. The lock and breech block markings remain fully legible, although naturally softened by age and wear.

The bore is in very good condition, retaining a mostly bright interior with clear lands and grooves. There is visible wear to the lands together with evidence of past oxidation and fouling in the grooves that has since been cleaned away.

The firing pin moves correctly and returns under spring pressure. The breech latch, extractor, and ejector are all present and operate during manual inspection. The action was not tested with live or empty cartridge cases. These observations describe only the present mechanical condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the carbine is safe to load or fire.

With its early 1875 serial number 40018, high arch MODEL 1873 eagle and crossed arrows breech block, dated 1873 lock, early long wrist stock, stepped carbine rear sight, single barrel band with stacking swivel, surviving saddle ring and bar, circled P firing proof, and very good bore, this is an especially desirable early Indian Wars Springfield cavalry carbine. Its serial number places it within the broad collector defined Custer range, while the absence of documented 7th Cavalry provenance is fully acknowledged. For the advanced collector, the combination of early configuration, genuine service wear, and relatively complete cavalry features makes it an excellent representative of the type carried by U.S. mounted troops on the western frontier during the years immediately preceding the Little Bighorn campaign.

Custer Serial Range:
U.S. Ordinance Dept. records indicate the 7th Cav. received approximately 1,000 Model 1873 Trapdoor carbines in the serial number ranges of 17400-18400, and 21000-21600, and 32700-36400 and with some into the 42200 range. According to those records, carbines that fall within the 32700-36400 group were issued to Companies C, D, I, and K of the 7th Cav. Of the thousand carbines issued to the 7th Cav., 250 of them were in the 33,000-43,000 range, such as this example. The records of the area are all handwritten and not complete, resulting in numerous different estimated ranges.

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1875
Maker: United States Armory and Arsenal at Springfield
Model: 1873 Trapdoor Carbine
Serial No.: 40018
Caliber: .45-70 Government
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 22 Inches
Overall Length: 41 1/4 Inches
Action type: Hinged Breechblock with side action lock.
Feed System: Single Shot
Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique

NOTE: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are not able to ship to the United Kingdom. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

Note: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are no able to ship to the United Kingdom.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services.