The Springfield Model 1877 was a variant of the Springfield Model 1873 carbine. In 1877, many changes were made to both the Model 1873 rifle and the Model 1873 carbine (the carbine was just a shorter version of the rifle). Historically, the Model 1877 rifle has just been considered to be a variant of the Model 1873, while the Model 1877 carbine has been considered to be a separate model. The most visible change was made to the stock. The buttstock comb was extended further forward on the wrist to strengthen the wrist's weak spot. The wrist itself was also thickened. Prior to 1877, the

trapdoor A trapdoor is a sliding or hinged door in a floor or ceiling. It is traditionally small in size. It was invented to facilitate the hoisting of grain up through mills, however, its list of uses has grown over time. The trapdoor has played a pivot ...

breechblock A breechblock (or breech block) is the part of the firearm action that closes the breech of a breech loading weapon (whether small arms or artillery) before or at the moment of firing. It seals the breech and contains the pressure generated by th ...

had a high arch machined out of it, making it lighter. The Model 1877 no longer had the arch machined out of it, though the reason for this modification is not clear. Gas ports along the upper ridges of the receiver were also extended, which may explain why the arch on the breechblock was removed at the same time. After the

Battle of Little Bighorn The Battle of the Little Bighorn, known to the Lakota people, Lakota and other Plains Indians as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, and also commonly referred to as Custer's Last Stand, was an armed engagement between combined forces of the Lako ...

, Springfield Armory was assigned the task of providing a cleaning rod for the carbine version that could also be used to remove stuck cartridges. A three piece steel rod was designed that fit into the butt. This required a new butt plate specifically for the carbine, as the longer rifle already included a cleaning rod and did not need these modifications. The rear sight was also modified. The rifle version of the new sight was stamped with an R, and the carbine version was stamped with a C. The different sights were necessary because the carbine used a 55-grain cartridge instead of the rifle's 70-grain cartridge."The U.S. Army in the West, 1870–1880: Uniforms, Weapons, And Equipment" By Douglas C. McChristian, John P. Langellier

References

{{reflist Springfield firearms Hinged breechblock rifles Rifles of the United States

See also

References