This is an example of a U.S. Model 1875 "Trapdoor" Officer's Rifle that was manufactured by Springfield Armory in 1885. The Model 1875 Officer's Rifle was manufactured by Springfield Armory to provide Army officers with a powerful high quality sporting rifle using the standard .45-70 service cartridge. A total of 477 Model 1875 Rifles were manufactured between 1875 and 1885. The Model 1885 Rifles featured a sporting type stock with decorative nickel-silver forearm cap and checkered panels on the stock and wrist. The rifle has a blued barrel, receiver, barrel band and buttplate. The breechblock tang, lock plate, hammer and trigger guard are casehardened. The stock has a polished oil finish. A single ramrod pipe on the barrel supports a hickory cleaning rod with brass tip and ferrule. The barrel has a folding combination globe front sight and military buckhorn rear sight. A folding tang peep sight is mounted on the stock wrist. The rifle has a single set-trigger. The detachable checkered half-pistol grip found on Type II and Type III rifles are mounted on the stock wrist. Type III rifles, like this one had a "low arch" breechblock, square profile forearm cap, un-plated brass ramrod tip and ferrule and Ordnance inspection marks on the left side of the stock wrist. The forearm cap, top of the barrel band and receiver, breech block, tang, hammer, lockplate, trigger guard and buttplate are decorated with well-executed open scroll engraving. The left side of the barrel is stamped with "V/P/Eagle Head/P" proof and inspection marks ahead of the receiver. The top of the breechblock is roll-stamped "U.S./MODEL/1873" in three lines. The lockplate is stamped with the Eagle/Shield motif followed by "U.S./SPRINGFIELD" in two lines. "U.S." is stamped on the buttplate heel. The Ordnance final inspection mark which consists of the script initials "SWP" over the date 1885 in a rectangle is stamped on the left stock wrist. A encircled, script, "P" proofmark is stamped on the bottom of the stock behind the checkered panel. Springfield Armory manufactured an estimated 100 Model 1875 Type III Officer's Rifles.

Very fine. The barrel, receiver and barrel band retain more than 90% of the original blue finish. The buttplate has been re-blued. The case colors on the breechblock, tang, lock plate, hammer and trigger guard have faded to a silver/gray patina with bright colors remaining in the protected areas of triggerguard and breechblock. The scroll engraving is sharp. The markings on the barrel, breechblock and lock plate are crisp. The revarnished stock is very good. The checkering on the wrist shows some flattening from handling and has several minor bruises. The checkering on the pistol grip is sharp and has less handling wear. The stock shows light to moderate handling wear with scattered minor scratches and handling marks. The final inspection marks and "P" proofmark are clear. This is a very fine example of a scarce and very desirable Type III Springfield Model 1875 Officer's Rifle.