GUN SPRING 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/14/2016
CUSTER SERIAL RANGE MODEL 1873 SPRINGFIELD CARBINE, 18803.SPRINGFIELD1873 CARBINE1880345-70Cal. 45-70. This honest survivor has seen some use but appears orig & matching throughout. Of the 650 carbines carried to that fateful battle sight in June 1876, approximately 350 were lost and of that number 79 were reported by Reno to have been intentionally destroyed by fire before the column left the field. That leaves a total of probably less then 300 Springfields captured by the Indians or otherwise unaccounted for. There were 2 main groups of carbines known by most scholars to be likely 7th Cavalry guns. These carbines fall into SN ranges 17,500-18,400; 21,000-21,600 & a few from 1875 production in the 32,700-36,000 range. This particular gun falls in the middle of the first serial range grouping. Al Frasca, in his definitive 1997 text The 45-70 Springfield 1865-1893, gives much insight into the Custer 7th Cavalry & other Indian war carbines. There are only a handful of actual SN known from official communications to specific units. In the 18,000 serial range, serial 18383 was returned as unserviceable in August 1877 & SN 18006 of Company "F", 7th Cavalry was reported stolen 3 months before the battle. There are 5 guns in this serial range known used by 3rd U.S. Cavalry, 18,368, 18,377, 18,501, 18,589, & 18,861. There were 5 guns in this serial range listed with the 10th U.S. Cavalry at Fort Concho, San Angelo, Texas in May 1876 including 2 guns only 200 SNs before & after subject, 18,089, 18,564, 18,765, 18,862, 19,085. If our gun was not with Custer, little doubt it was used by another cavalry unit in the west. CONDITION: Good overall, appears orig & complete, functioning with heavily shot bbl which still retains discernible rifling. There is a large repair to stock from trigger guard tapering forward to bbl band. This piece has been glued & nail repaired for continued use. Wood is missing just forward of lock & some putty has been rubbed into that one 1" area. Stock is quite worn though it does not appear sanded, no discernible proofs in wood. Breech & lock markings are both discernible & SN easily seen. There are remnants of an old shellac applied over entire surface of gun which is mostly worn away on wood & about half of the metal. This is how one would expect a survivor of the Custer Battlefield to appear. 50194-7 JS (6,000-8,000)