This distinctive rifle began its life as a standard Model 1873 Trapdoor in 1874 and was subsequently worked over and turned into a frontier sporting rifle. "Wild Bill" Hickock, "Buffalo Bill" Cody, and others are known to have used similar sporting rifles, and gunmakers such as Gemmer in St. Louis are known to have converted Trapdoors to "Plains Rifles" and sold them to men headed to the West, particularly for buffalo hunting. Others were made by gunsmiths in the West such as Spangenberg & Co. of Tombstone, Arizona Territory. This rifle has an antique U.S. coin for the front sight blade, a Sharps style pewter forend cap, a rib with two wiping pipes fitted below the barrel, a dovetailed U-notch rear sight fitted just ahead of the breech, "MODEL/1873/eagle head/cross arrows/US" on the high arch breech block, the U.S. seal and "U.S./SPRINGFIELD" on the modified lock, usual Trapdoor trigger and trigger guard, and a sporting style stock with steel buttplate.

Very good over all with a classic been there done that, "as found" patina and light oxidation over all. The wood shows immense character as is fine with typical wear associated with a life on the plains. Mechanically fine. A weapon that was well used but well maintained, a wonderful, tangible link to the American West. Provenance: The John Fox Collection.