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MODEL 1870 TRIAL COMBINATION TOOL – SCARCE EARLY
INDIAN WAR TOOL FOR THE WARD BURTON RIFLE AND CARBINE,
LATER ISSUED WITH THE FIRST M1873 RIFLES AND CARBINES:
This early Indian War tool is the smaller of the two
similarly patterned tools issued with the 1871-1872
field trial rifles and carbines.
This tool has been identified as the tool issued
originally with the Ward Burton Rifle and Carbine for
the trials, and the surviving stocks of this tool
continued to be issued with the first issues of the
early Model 1873 Rifles and Carbines. Produced in only
very limited numbers these tools are not commonly
encountered and are often missing from all but the most
advanced Springfield and Trapdoor collections. This
tool measures 2 5/8” long and 1 15/16” wide, and still
retains the original arsenal blackened finish.
Conforming to the standard pattern of the U.S. Army
issue Model 1879 Combination Tool for the M1873
Springfield Trapdoor .45/70 Carbines and Rifles, these
scarce unmarked specimens are believed to be from the
early, if not the first production run of these tools.
This tool was the first to be manufactured as a new tool
since the end of the Civil War, where as previous
patterns of tools for the Indian War rifles and carbines
had been modified from the M1863 Springfield Combination
Tool and other Civil War tools. As with the standard
M1879 Tool, this specimen features a right angle “U”
shaped cut which served as a mainspring clamp, a pin
punch on the static arm and a swinging screwdriver
blade.
This specimen is in excellent condition, retaining a
smooth shiny surface and the original arsenal applied
oil-quenched blue black finish. The M1870 Combination
Tool is a significant addition to any Springfield Indian
War collection. See Gun Tools, Their History and
Identification, Shaffer, Rutledge, and Dorsey, page
165 and 166 for more information. $325
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