Lot 1042

Hartley & Graham U.S. Springfield 1873 Trapdoor Sporting Rifle

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Hartley & Graham U.S. Springfield 1873 Trapdoor Sporting Rifle

Estimate: $3,500 - $5,500

Starting Bid: $3,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 22, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Attractive Hartley & Graham Conversion U.S. Springfield Model 1873 Trapdoor Sporting Rifle The serial number dates to 1874. Hartley & Graham of New York purchased some surplus U.S. Springfield Trapdoor rifles c. late 1870s to early 1880s and had them converted into sporting rifles intended to satisfy demand hunters and the western buffalo trade, with the conversion work believed to have been done by Whitney Arms. These rifles can be seen advertised in Hartley & Graham's catalogs of 1889 and 1903 and offered in .40 and .45 calibers for the price of $12. A picture of the advertisement of these rifles from Hartley & Graham's 1903 catalog is shown on page 34 of "Rare Trapdoor Springfields, Part 2: The Marksmans Model" by Archer Jackson in Volume No. 17 Spring 1968 of American Society of Arms Collectors Bulletins with a brief description on page 32 that incorrectly confuses them with the Long Range rifles known to have been made by Springfield. The unaddressed barrels are believed to have been a surplus product of the Sharps company that were purchased from the company after their bankruptcy by Hartley & Graham. It has an octagon sporting barrel with six-groove rifling, a Rocky Mountain type blade front sight, buckhorn notch ladder rear sight, and a sporting stock with a horn forend tip and checkering. The full serial number "20521" is marked on top of the receiver and matching partial "521" is the only marking on the bottom breech area of the barrel. Includes a period four-piece Winchester type metal cleaning rod in the butt compartment.

Manufacturer: Springfield Armory U.S.

Model: 1873

BBL: 30 inch octagon

Stock: walnut

Gauge: 45-70 Government

Finish: blue/casehardened

Serial Number20521

Class: Antique

  • Condition: Very fine, retains 85% period retailer blue finish, 60% plus vibrant case colors, with some freckling and smooth brown patina. The stock is fine, with dents and scratches, a few hairlines and small chips, and defined edges. Mechanically excellent.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000