U.S. Model 1875 Officer's rifle manufactured by the Springfield Armory in 1885. This Type III Model 1875 Officer's Rifle has the slightly longer stock that extends an additional 5/8 inch beyond the barrel band, square profile, nickel-silver forend cap, low arch breechblock, unplated brass wiping rod tip and ferrule and "SWP/1885" final inspection mark on the left stock wrist. The Model 1875 Officer's Rifle was manufactured by Springfield Armory to provide Army officers with a high quality sporting rifle chambered for the .45-70 service cartridge. Springfield manufactured 477 Model 1875 Officer's Rifles between 1875 and 1885. One hundred of these rifles had the Type III features and "1885" inspection mark. This rifle has a blue barrel, receiver and buttplate. The barrel band, breechblock, hammer, cam latch, receiver tang, lock plate and trigger guard have a color casehardened finish. The oil finished walnut stock has checkered panels on the forearm and wrist and a checkered detachable half-pistol grip. The round barrel has a single ramrod pipe to secure a hickory wiping rod. The barrel is fitted with a Beach folding globe front sight and a Model 1879 buckhorn rear sight. A folding Vernier tang sight is mounted on the stock wrist. The rifle has a single set-trigger. The top of the barrel band, receiver, breechblock, tang, hammer, cam latch, lock plate, trigger guard bow and buttplate heel are decorated with well-executed scroll engraving. The nickel-silver nose cap is lightly engraved. The left side of the barrel is stamped with "V/P/Eagle Head/P" proof and inspection marks. The top of the breechblock is roll-stamped "U.S./MODEL/1878" in three lines. The lock plate is roll-stamped with the Springfield Eagle motif followed by "U.S./SPRINGFIELD" in two lines in front of the hammer. "U.S." is stamped on the heel of the buttplate. The underside of the stock is stamped with an encircled script "P" proofmark behind the checkered panel. The rifle is, correctly, not serial numbered.

Fine. The rifle retains 50% plus of the original blue finish. The top of the barrel has several spots of surface rust ahead of the barrel band, and there is some finish loss on the sides of the barrel near the muzzle. The case colors on the barrel band have silvered and the front edge of the band has shallow dents. The rear sight and receiver have most of the blue finish remaining. The receiver has scattered spots of age discoloration. The case colors on the breechblock, cam latch, hammer, lock plate and trigger guard have faded to a mottled silver-gray and show moderate age discoloration. The buttplate has 30% of the blue finish remaining with scattered spots of age discoloration. The well-executed scroll engraving is crisp and deep. The stock is also in fine overall condition with sharp checkering and crisp inspection and proofmarks. Wear is limited to numerous scattered handling and storage marks and some discoloration along the edges of the lock plate. The hickory cleaning rod is an accurate modern replacement. The set-trigger does not engage but the rifle functions fine otherwise. This is a fine representative example of an extremely desirable Springfield Type III Model 1875 Trapdoor Officer's Rifle.