The "Trapdoor Springfields", named due to their distinctive hinged breechblock that opened like a trap door, are the collective name for a series of weapons created by the Springfield Arsenal from 1865 to 1903. The Model 1873 pattern was the first breech-loaded rifle adopted as standard-issue for the United States Military, and was chambered in the .50-70 Government black-powder cartridge since the model 1866 was officially adopted. Due to budget concerns and the overwhelming amount of muzzle-loading muskets filling government storage after the war, the Arsenal elected to base their new designs on the existing patterns, rather than creating a wholly new design.
Visually, the Trapdoor Springfields of all types still resemble their Civil War-era heritage with an obvious caplock hammer on the side, but the large Allin hinged breech-block is the distinguishing feature. Trapdoor Springfields saw use during the Indian Wars, Spanish-American War, and Philippine-American War.
See also
Krag Jorgensen A Norwegian-designed bolt-action rifle with more ammunition capacity than the Trapdoor Springfields, that would officially replace it in 1892.
Martini-henry The British counterpart to the Trapdoor Springfield, as an single-shot rifle.
Berdan rifle The Russian counterpart to the Trapdoor Springfield, as an single-shot rifle.
