US Model 1880 Ramrod Bayonet Trials Rifle

Indian Wars

.45-70. 32.5" barrel length. SN: 154703. Blued metal finish with casehardened breechblock set in a walnut straight wrist stock with full length handguard retained by two barrel bands with stacking swivels to the upper band, and a swivel to the two-piece triggerguard. Single-shot trapdoor rifle mounting adjustable ladder rear notch and front blade sights. Rear sight graduated out to 1200 yards and is struck R for rifle. Rifle features a low-arch breechblock struck U.S/MODEL/1873 behind hinge. Lockplate displays the {US Army Eagle} stamp followed by US/SPRINGFIELD. The rifle features a three click tumbler, and mounts a triangular profile ramrod bayonet with 11 grasping grooves in either side and a purpose built forend cap with spring latch. Stock marked with two circle P proofs to the wrist with the left wrist marked with the boxed SWP/1881 cartouche of Samuel W. Porter. Trapdoor buttplate displays standard US marking while both barrel bands struck with U mark. Left barrel is marked V/P/{Eagle Head}/P. One of only 1,001 rifles intended to test the concept of a combination ramrod/bayonet, this rifle falls within the known serial range of 154000-158000. Ultimately, the Army chose not to adopt this solution as standard, but further experiments with the ramrod bayonet were carried out with the Model 1888 and even with the Springfield Model 1903 rifle. {ANTIQUE}

This lot is located in Cincinnati.