1866 Springfield Trapdoor

Ryanod1 · February 08, 2025, 08:12:03 PM

Hey everyone,

Thank you in advance for any help. This is my first post, and was excited when @arizonaghostriders recommended I came here for advice. Also, if this topic is in the wrong place then please let me know. I can put to the correct thread.

Anyways, I had recently purchased an 1866 Springfield trapdoor. I have never owned one until now. I took a chance and purchased it through auction. It said "cavalry carbine" on the posting, but I knew they didn't make those in 1866. I was looking online to figure out a little more on the rifle and can't find much at all. I was hoping y'all may know a little bit about this rifle. What makes it odd is that it is a carbine style rifle with the barrel measuring at 27.5". Maybe Springfield made a bunch of these and I am just bad with research. It does not look like some gunsmith did this randomly but looks more like it was done during the conversion from and 1863 to 1866 Trapdoor. This is the only reference I have seen to it. It states its an "Indian Carbine?"
Anyways, I will let the pro's help, and I look forward to learning a lot from y'all in the future!

Please let me know if you want any more pics. I wasn't sure what was needed to figure this out.

Ryanod1 · February 08, 2025, 08:21:28 PM

Indian Carbine

Kent Shootwell · February 09, 2025, 10:27:49 AM

I know little about trapdoors but yours looks to have been a rifle that was later modified to a half stock. The forearm of a carbine would only be a couple of inches past the barrel band. Notice the rear sight isn't the same as the one in the advertisement.
Nice find none the less.

Ryanod1 · February 09, 2025, 11:54:57 AM

Thank you for answering! I noticed the sight difference as well. I don't even know if this was an advertisement or anything. It was mostly some random thing I found on the internet that looked similar. Its soo hard to tell. If it was modified it must have been done right around that time where the barrel shows no wear underneath from an extended stock before being cut.

I also see that on mine the barrel band sits just behind the sight vs more towards the front of the stock. These stocks could be the same length but the band is definitely in a defferent spot

DeaconKC · February 09, 2025, 05:05:46 PM

Welcome to the place! You will find a lot of good folks here with lots of good information.

Ryanod1 · February 09, 2025, 05:15:56 PM

Thank you! I have already learned soo much from this group. I have been collecting WWII stuff but have always wanted to collect things from the old west days too.

38OVI · February 09, 2025, 08:29:00 PM

It looks like a M1864 Springfield, the solid bands went back on that year, and the M1863 has split screw bands with no band spring, which is why the went back to those with band springs in 1864. My original M1866 Rifle has a 36 1/2" barrel measured from the breech-block to the muzzle (using a cleaning rod for measuring). The only 50-70 Trapdoor carbine I know of is the M1870 with a 32 1/2 " barrel (don't know if that is from the face of the block.
We have one at the museum, but I haven't looked at it in several years. {The Carbine measurement is from Flayderman's Book} The M1866 is great for shooting, with Black Powder Only.

Ryanod1 · February 09, 2025, 08:56:51 PM

Interesting! The dates on the rifle are 1863 and 1866 on the trapdoor. Do you know what markings I should be seeing? The barrel itself only has a letter (B) and on the trapdoor itself there is a number 7. I will have to remeasure the barrel tomorrow. Not sure if it will help much. I do have much better pictures if it would help. Unfortunately, the forum is very limiting on detailed pics.