Springfield Armory manufactured only 1,011 Ward-Burton Rifles as basically trial weapons in 1871. The Ward-Burton Rifles were one of the earliest bolt action long arms issued by the U.S. Army. The left receiver flat is marked with the U.S. Eagle and Shield motif followed by "U.S./SPRINGFIELD 1871". The top of the bolt is marked "WARD BURTON PATENT/DEC. 20,1859-FEB 21, 1871". The receiver is casehardened, the bolt is bright and the remaining parts were finished in the white. The rifle is fitted with a Model 1868 trapdoor ramrod. The front sight is fixed and the rear sight is a folding leaf mounted just ahead of the receiver and is graduated to 900 yards and has a 1,000 yard center notch. Mounted with a full one-piece straight grip stock with a steel end cap, two barrel bands and steel buttplate marked "U.S." on the tang. There is a sling swivel mounted on the forward barrel band and on the front of the trigger guard. Comes with a serrated slotted cleaning rod.

Very fine. The barrel and mountings remain bright with a couple small areas of discoloration on the muzzle end of the barrel. The receiver retains 60% original oil quenched case colors with a smooth gray patina on the balance. The stock has been reoiled and lightly sanded leaving the wood proud around the rear of the lower tang and remains fine with a 2 inch hairline crack extending from the front of the trigger guard plate, a 1 3/4 inch hairline crack on top at the rear of the receiver and a minor 2 inch repaired crack near the right side toe of the buttstock starting at the buttplate. Overall there are some scattered minor dents and handling marks. The markings are crisp and clear. The action is excellent.