This is an excellent example of a rare Type II U.S. Springfield Armory Model 1875 Trapdoor Officer's Rifle as manufactured in 1881. These rifles were considered as a badge of rank and distinction by U.S. Calvary Officers and had to be purchased directly from Springfield Armory on a special order basis only. There were three different types of rifles. A total of 477 Officer's Models were produced, and 252 total Type II Models were manufactured. This was in the largest block of rifles produced. They all exhibited select walnut stocks with a checkered wrist and forend area with a separate checkered detachable walnut pistol grip. The receiver, breechblock, lock plate, hammer and tang, and barrel band are all decorated with a fine scroll engraving. The left side of the barrel is stamped "V/P/Eagle Head/P", and the underside of barrel has a single iron ramrod thimble and is fitted with a hickory wiping rod with nickel plated, knurled front ferrule and slotted rear ferrule. The top of the breechblock is marked "U.S./MODEL/1873" in three lines, and the lock plate is marked with the "Springfield eagle/shield" motif ahead of the hammer followed by "U.S./SPRINGFIELD" surrounded by scroll engraving. The barrel has a Beach combination folding blade/globe front sight and a first pattern buckhorn Model 1877 rifle rear sight. The top of the wrist of the stock has a late Type III folding Vernier tang sight with the oval base. It is fitted with the two piece trigger plate and trigger guard bow that also has fine engraving, and is correctly fitted with a single set-trigger. The rifle is fitted with an oil finished walnut half-stock that is fitted with an engraved German silver squared end forend tip. The end of the butt has a solid steel buttplate stamped with a "U.S." on top of the heel. The left side of the stock has a boxed "S.W.P./1881" and a circled script "P" proofmark behind the checkered panel on the underside of the stock. These rifles all have blued barrels and casehardened receivers and components.

Very fine with 90% of the original blued finish overall with some light brown in areas. The receiver, breechblock, hammer, lock plate, trigger plate and trigger guard bow all retain 60% of the original color casehardened finish mostly in the protected areas with the exposed metal showing more fading case colors. The markings are clear and sharp. The stock and pistol grip are also very fine with a nice, original, light brown oil finish overall, a clear distinct cartouche and some heavier pressure dents/bruises on the left side of the stock above the trigger. There is a 3 inch crack on the left side of the stock. The checkering is also very fine with some slight wear and flat spots across the tops. This is an attractive and very fine example of a late Type II U.S. Springfield 1875 Officers Model trapdoor rifle.