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1884 Springfield Trapdoor Rifle Serial Numbers: A Complete List of Production Quantities and Dates



Below is a list of serial numbers for Trapdoor Rifles noting the year and sometimes month(s) it was produced. Serial numbers begin with the 1873 Trapdoor Rifle. All given serial numbers are approximate. These serial numbers are credited to Albert Frasca, PH.D. and Robert Hill in their book The .45-70 Springfield.


The M1884 was created in rifle, cadet rifle, and carbine versions. Exact dimensions will vary by what type of M1884 you have. For technical details, there are some records of the Springfield Armory at the National Archives at Boston. Also the staff at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site may be able to help you some. You might also want to try the following books, websites and forums.




1884 Springfield Trapdoor Rifle Serial Numbers




The model 1884 did not come in serial number 80835, the beginning numbers are 280001 for the rifle, carbine and cadet rifle. Did you mean 480835( mistakenly hitting the dollar sign instead of the number 4?)


According to the Springfield Research Service Serial Numbers Volume 2, 2nd Edition a large number of these 1884 trapdoor rifles, in serial numbers near yours, were given to the US Navy in 1943, however the closed serial number I found was 480883 which was transferred to the Springfield Armory Museum in 1909.


Researchers have found only 1,005 Kansas serial numbers in regimental records at the National Archives. These serial numbers were found in the records of the 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd Kansas Volunteer Infantry records and they range from 77191 (made in approximately 1878) to 433253 (made in approximately 1889). The great majority of the serial numbers were under 300000. This tracks fairly well with issues to the State under the Militia Act as shown in the accompanying table and it is likely that all of the arms used by these regiments during the war were ones that had been issued to the State years earlier. 2ff7e9595c


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