After the trials ended in 1872 the 1870 Ordnance Board reviewed the feedback acquired and determined that the Trapdoor action was the best suited for US Army use. They also changed the caliber from .50-70 to .45-70 as the new standard which remained from 1873-1893. Thus the first standard arm was adopted for the US Army as the Model 1873 Springfield “Trapdoor” in .45-70.• Model 1873 Trapdoor (early), Springfield, made 1873-1877 (1874), .45-70 cal., approximately 51,180 rifles and 22,517 carbines were made.
• Model 1873 Trapdoor (late-1877), Springfield, made 1878-1884 (1881), .45-70 cal., approximately 130,269 rifles and 17,384 carbines were made.
1878 Magazine Board of Ordnance Officers was convened and tasked with reviewing various designs for repeating magazine feed rifles for possible adoption for use by the US Army. Many rifles were submitted and tested for endurance, accuracy and rapidity of fire. They all had to have a magazine cut off to allow single loading. Four designs were chosen for further consideration and testing. The Winchester 1876 lever action, and bolt actions by Remington, Sharps and Winchester all with tubular magazines. • First Model Army Winchester Hotchkiss Rifle, made 1879 .45-70 cal. as joint venture between Winchester and Springfield; they made 500 rifles and 500 carbines for testing. The rifle barrels were 32-1/4” long. Safety and magazine cut-off is on the right side of stock.
[Don’t have one in Collection - Yet] • Model 1879 type 1, First Model Navy Contract Winchester Hotchkiss Rifle, Winchester/Springfield, made 1879-1880 (1879), .45-70 cal., rifle barrels were 28-3/4” long, they made 2,500 Navy rifles.
• Second Model Army Winchester Hotchkiss Carbines, many first models rifles and carbines were converted to second model carbines in 1880, between 400 and 600 second model carbines made 1880-1881, the safety and mag cut-off was changed to two separate levers on the rear of the action. Previous design in side of stock resulted in too many broken stocks. Col. Mackenzie’s 4th US Cavalry was issued between 343 and 522 second model carbines in 1881, which was the largest number issued to any single Army unit. Mackenzie was a major proponent of repeaters instead of single shot.
[Don’t have one in Collection] • Model 1879 type 2, Second Model Navy Winchester Hotchkiss Rifle, Winchester/Springfield, made 1880-1881 (1881), .45-70 cal., 981 type 2 rifles purchased by the Navy; they stayed in use through the mid-1880s and in inventory up through 1892.
• Model 1879 Remington – Lee Navy Rifle, First Contract (300), actions made by Sharps 1880, rifles assembled by Remington 1881 using SF Trapdoor barrel and sights, marked Lee Arms, .45-70 cal.
• Model 1879 Remington – Lee Navy Rifle, 2nd Contract (700), actions made by Sharps 1880, rifles assembled by Remington 1882 using Remington rolling block barrel and sights, marked Lee Arms, .45-70 cal.