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ALLIN:
Other Names: Trapdoor Springfield
Springfield, Allin
Country of Origin: United States:
Designer: Erskine Allin
Master Armor @ Nat. armory
1864: Original conversion of existing rifle muskets was completed in April 1865 resulting in the recommendation of the Spencer repeater and the single-shot Peabody. The end of the Civil War removed the need to act with any great haste, discontinuing any further testing on the project.
1865: The proto-type Allin rifle appeared in the summer of 1865, performing well enough for substantial quantities to be ordered for field trials. About 5,000 .58 caliber rimfire rifles were made in the Springfield factory in 1865-66. They were adapted in 1863 pattern cap-lock hinged laterally at the front of the action. The block could be swung up to reveal the chamber, but the alteration was much too complicated; the ratchet-pattern extractor was weak and the cartridge performed poorly.
1866: The M1865 was soon replaced by a rifle with its own barrel lined-down from caliber .58 to .50 caliber. The extractor was greatly simplified and many detail changes were made. Trials still favored the Berdan as the best conversion system, the Peabody being the best new rifle, but the
.50 Allin was Controversially selected for production.
1872: Re chambering rifles to the new 45-70 CF cartridge
1873: The Model 1873 was the first of the Trapdoor Springfield chambered for the 45-70 cartridge. The Ordnance dept. had determined that standardization of US> small arms in .45 caliber (45-70 Long arms and 45 Colt for hand guns was advisable, effective in 1873.
A feature that helps identify early 1873's is the flush sides or fit of the barrel at the point where it screws into the receiver; hence, the stock recess/channel is straight cut at that point whereas in later trapdoors the receiver was widened and the is a slight two step cutaway in the stock.
The early 1873's (up to 1877) had breech blocks casehardened and quenched in oil which gave them a black look. After 1877 the case hardening process, used water to quench, which gave the brilliant colors.
This is a similar case as with the Rider Rifles, (Remington Rolling Block) where the users gave them another name which became more known than the origianl name of the rifle. Allin (Trapdoor Springfield)
Book of Rifles
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