This book is a descriptive guide to the firearms and accessories produced for the US military, at the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts, during the period of 1873 to 1893. It contains detailed descriptions, serial number data, and photographs of EVERY rare variety of the .45-70 Springfield 'trapdoor', most never before available in this handy format. Included are Sporting Rifles, the Metcalfe device, the M1875 Officer's Rifles, the M1880 Triangular rod-bayonet rifle, the 1881 Long-Range rifles, the M1881 Marksman's rifle, the M1882 Short rifles with 28" barrel, the M1884 Experimental (flat-latch) rod-bayonet rifles, the M1886 "XC" 24" barrel carbine, the .30 caliber ammunition test rifles of the 1890s, and more . . . In addition to the Allin-system 'trapdoors' noted above, individual and comprehensive chapters are devoted to the Model 1875 Lee-Springfield "vertical breech" rifle, all five versions of those martial-type Winchester-Hotchkiss repeating arms assembled by Springfield Armory, and, last but not least, the rare Chaffee-Reece magazine gun from the 1882 trials. The book also contains the largest-known accumulation (nearly 50 years in the making) of early Model 1873 Carbine serial numbers from the "Custer Period", over 1,250 at time of publication.
Author: Richard A. Hosmer
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 08/21/2017
Pages: 324
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.96lbs
Size: 9.02h x 5.98w x 0.68d
ISBN: 9781547281442
About the Author
Richard A. (Dick) Hosmer has collected Springfield rifles since 1970. He began by specializing in the Allin "trapdoor" series, but gradually expanded the hunt into an attempt to acquire a specimen of every different long-arm produced at SA during the 1865-1915 time period. This greatly increased the diversity and interest of the collection, though a few pieces have, so far, managed to elude him. A third-generation San Franciscan, he has lived in or near the San Francisco Bay area since 1937, receiving his secondary education at City College of San Francisco. His working life was spent in the construction industry, retiring in 2001 as senior project manager for a leading manufacturer of special-purpose (sound-retardant, bullet-proof, and blast-resistant) doors. He and his wife presently own and operate an antique store. He is a Life Member of the California Rifle and Pistol Association, and a Benefactor Life Member of the National Rifle Association. He began this project in 1992, accepting a challenge from Joseph Poyer of North Cape Publications to write a book which would cover the scarcer models omitted from their basic work on the subject. Over 25 years, the project grew to two volumes, encompassing in total just over fifty related arms. The 'first half' of the project, entitled "The .58 and .50 Caliber Rifles and Carbines of Springfield Armory, 1865-1872" was published by North Cape in 2006. This volume completes the work. The author's family arrived in America in 1635, though his collateral lines extend to the "Mayflower". Several members have served in the military over the years, beginning with the French & Indian Wars. One, Abner Hosmer, of Acton MA was, at just 19, one of two patriots killed in the skirmish at the Old North Bridge in Concord MA, on 19 April 1775, the first day of the Revolutionary War. The other was Isaac Davis, captain of the Acton company. In addition to their military service, the family also had a very long association with the Springfield Armory. At least eight individuals were employed there and, at one point, three generations were working side-by-side. According to a 1968 article in "Gun Report" magazine, written by Major Christopher Dvarecka, Springfield's last historian, there was at least one Hosmer (all of whom were cousins of the author) on the Armory payroll from 1809 to 1915. That will stand forever as the record for length of service by one family at Springfield.
This title is not returnable
Returns Policy
You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.
Shipping
We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.
When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.
Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.