The first U.S. general issue centerfire breechloading rifle...

[PALADIN85020]

Here's a little-known firearm that played a pivotal role in the taming of the West. It was the U.S. Model 1866 rifle, firing the .50/70 centerfire cartridge. It sure surprised the Indians when it was first arrayed against them in 1867.

Find out more about its history and its use in its first notable engagement here:

Smith & Wesson Forum - PALADIN85020's Album: First U.S. general issue centerfire breechloader

A detailed account of the historic wagon box fight can be found here:

http://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/wagon-box-fight-1867

John

 

[.455_Hunter]

Very Nice!

I have visited the Wagon Box Fight battle site. Unfortunately, probably 99% of the population has no clue about what happened there.

I have a veteran Model 1868 that still used Civil War locks (mine is a Bridesburg 1865), but had a new production barrel and action.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Very Nice!

I have visited the Wagon Box Fight battle site. Unfortunately, probably 99% of the population has no clue about what happened there.

I have a veteran Model 1868 that still used Civil War locks (mine is a Bridesburg 1865), but had a new production barrel and action.

I love the trapdoors - they have such an interesting history. I have the models of 1866, 1868, 1879, 1879 carbine, and 1888 (ramrod bayonet). The pictures here are of my Model 1866, made in 1867, which most were - the first year of manufacture. A shorter hinge screw identifies these earlier ones.

John

 

[vonn]

Thanks for the post it was very informative.

 

[jimmyj]

Question:
Which came out first: Springfield Trapdoor or Remington Rolling Block ?

 

[PALADIN85020]

Question:
Which came out first: Springfield Trapdoor or Remington Rolling Block ?

The first Springfield trapdoor conversion came out as a .58 caliber rimfire in 1865. This was the Model 1865, or first Allin conversion. It was patented by Irskine Allin in September, 1865. About 5,000 were produced on a trial basis to test the concept. A number of needed changes were implemented, and the result was the centerfire Model 1866, which is the subject of this post.

The Rolling Block was based on patents held by one Leonard M. Geiger. The split-breech Geiger carbine was used in limited numbers by the North in the Civil War. An improved design resulted in some prototypes by Geiger and Remington plant supervisor Joseph Rider that were presented (unsuccessfully) to the U.S. Army for consideration in early 1865. Rider went back to the drawing board to improve the design. In the winter of 1865-1866, the first Remington Rolling Block rifle was produced.

The Rolling Block's action was far stronger than the trapdoors, but RBs had to be made from scratch. The trapdoors could use a lot of material from Civil War muzzleloaders. Hence, the Army chose the trapdoors to save a LOT of money in the process of giving them a useful breechloader.

Take your pick as to which was first. In my opinion, it's pretty much a tie.

John

 

[quinn]

...and then there were the Sharps and paper cartridges converted to metallic! I once collected them all: trapdoor, Remington and Whitney Rolling Blocks and Sharps. Now, I stick to S&W.

 

[Cyrano]

Here's mine. I shoot it with soft lead bullets and black powder. No receiver and the breechblock hinge secured to the barrel with two screws does not impress me with the strength of the thing, so black powder only.

 

[Absalom]

Thanks for the posting. Very informative. I visited the sites of Red Cloud's War back in the early 1980s, both the Fetterman site and the Wagon Box site as well as Fort Phil Kearny. It looks like they've built a reconstruction of the fort's stockade going by the photo in the linked article. Back when I was there, nobody was around and nothing but a few information boards there; you really had to let your imagination (and your historical knowledge) fill what wasn't there.