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INDIAN USED FIRST PATTERN
MODEL 1873 TRAPDOOR RIFLE:
There is no provenance that firmly identifies this gun
as Indian used, nor are there any tacks or other
decorations that many modern collectors have been
conditioned to look for in Indian used guns. That being
said, there is no doubt in my mind that this is indeed
an Indian used and altered Trapdoor rifle, and likely
from the pre-reservation days. The absence of the front
sight; the removal of the rear sight leaf – from all
appearances intentional; the hand shaped fore stock; the
shortened butt stock with the leather pad; and the
extreme pommel wear on the side of the stock all
indicate to me that this is not a gun that a European
American would have kept and carried with so many other
guns in far better condition available to him on the
frontier. Rather, this is a gun that shows
characteristics consistent with guns known to have been
used by Native Americans and with alterations that would
be better suited to close combat or hunting buffalo from
horseback. Further enhancing the value of this
particular gun is that all of the components are
consistent with the serial number range, and not a gun
that was obviously assembled from a collection of parts
from different year models. All of the parts exhibit
consistent wear and aging, and all of them belong on a
gun with this serial number, and more importantly appear
to have always been together on this particular gun.
This is a First Model
Trapdoor M1873 Springfield Rifle, SN 55337, with all of
the characteristics consistent with those rifles in this
serial number range, to include: first model lock
plate; high arch breech block; first model rear sight
mounted with slotless screws that do not show any
evidence of removal or replacement; two click tumbler;
fine knurl hammer spur; “V/P/Eagle” barrel proof stamp
forward of the receiver; and a stock with the short
comb/long wrist still bearing the “P” in the ball proof
behind the trigger guard tang.
The butt stock has been
shortened by approximately 2”, being cut just forward of
the mortise for the butt plate tang. The butt plate was
apparently inletted onto the shortened stock and then
subsequently removed, evidenced by a remaining hand cut
mortise on the top of the butt stock. This type of work
is consistent with that sort of alterations known to
have been executed by the Indians in the field. The
eventual removal of the butt plate all together was
either due to a poor fit in the hand cut mortise or more
likely, and more characteristic of guns that fell into
the Indians’ hands, the plate was modified and put to
use as another tool. The toe of the stock has been hand
cut down as well to remove the sharp corner. A piece of
leather was then nailed to the flat of the butt with
iron nails. The leather has been in place for a long
time, certainly concurrent with the gun’s contemporary
use, indicated by the wear to the leather and the
discoloration around the iron nail heads.
The barrel has been cut to
a length of 19 1/8” measured from the front of the
receiver. The muzzle of the barrel has been rounded off
by hand, probably with a file at first and then wear and
exposure smoothed the crown even further.
The leaf of the rear sight
has been cut away or broken off, leaving the hinge pin
swell which was evidently used as the rear sight notch.
There is no front sight, indicating this gun was fired
using an “instinct” or “point and shoot” aiming
technique at close range – the type of shooting
encountered in close combat or in running buffalo from
horse back.
The fore stock has been cut
back and whittled down, leaving the stock in the
configuration similar to a carbine stock. The cuts in
the wood at this point definitely show hand work and
were probably done with a knife.
While the overall condition
of the stock is remarkably good, the left side of the
stock, beginning at the forward end of the receiver and
running all the way up to where the stock is shaped to
meet the barrel, the wood is worn almost down to the
barrel channel edge. This wear is characteristic of
what is commonly called by collectors “pommel wear”,
that is the wear suffered by a long arm as it was
carried across the pommel of a saddle or as in the case
of this gun, rested across the neck and mane of an
Indian’s horse. This presence of this type of wear is
very desirable evidence of frontier use and is actively
sought by collectors who recognize what it represents.
Mile after mile of being rubbed back and forth across
the coarse strands of the horse’s mane, further
exaggerated by the dirt and grime in the horse’s hair,
would buff away the wood. The wear present on this gun
is in the right area and is absolutely correct, showing
less wear around the barrel band and the forward lock
screw than in the areas unsupported by the iron
furniture.
The bore shows heavy use
and no attempt has been made to clean it in keeping with
the overall condition of the gun, but the rifling is
still visible. The firing pin is present and stuck in
the forward position, the spring apparently having been
broken or fouled and unable to retract the pin.
I am sufficiently confident
that this gun was indeed used by Indians, that I have
held this gun in my collection of Indian used guns for
several years and thoroughly enjoyed it for what it most
certainly is. I am only now offering it for sale as it
is a duplicate to several others in my collection. Guns
with this type of honest wear and straightforward
modifications, consistent with those known to have been
executed on Indian guns, and more importantly ones that
have not been sullied or ruined by the addition of
upholstery tacks, modern leather wrappings and other
enhancements, have never been common and are now
becoming increasingly difficult to find on the market as
more collectors are recognizing their historic value.
This is a good opportunity to obtain an honest Indian
gun that has not suffered any alterations since the day
it passed from the Indians into that first collection.
$3500
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