Springfield Model 1888
The Springfield Model 1888 was one of several models of "Trapdoor Springfield" rifles produced in the late 19th century. It was the final design in a long line of Springfield Trapdoor rifles, built since the 1860s, and the last single-shot rifle to see American military service.
| Springfield Model 1888 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Breech-loading rifle |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| Used by | United States Army |
| Wars | Spanish–American War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1888 |
| Manufacturer | Springfield Armory |
| Produced | 1890–1893 |
| No. built | 60,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 51.875 in (1,317.6 mm) |
| Barrel length | 32.625 in (828.7 mm) |
| Cartridge | .45-70-405 |
| Action | Hinged breechblock |
| Rate of fire | Approx. 10 rounds a minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,350 feet per second (410 m/s) |
Despite the replacement of the Trapdoor rifles by the adoption of newer repeating arms, they were manufactured until 1893 and saw combat during the Spanish–American War, a war that was dominated by the newer Krag bolt-action rifle. The Model 1888, despite its aged technology, was built in large numbers and was also the most advanced and efficient of all the Springfield Trapdoor rifles, and is still popular for this reason among military enthusiasts today.
History and design
The Trapdoor Springfields had originally been produced with reworked bayonets left over from the Civil War. When supplies of these bayonets ran low, Springfield Armory attempted to create a new design, as these bayonets were considered to be obsolete.
For the Springfield Model 1880, Springfield Armory had attempted to combine the bayonet and cleaning rod into a single unit. This model had not been successful, due to problems with the bayonet/ramrod retaining mechanism and poor ballistic performance of the weapon due to the heavy forward mounting mechanism.
The Model 1888 was Springfield's last attempt at producing a combined cleaning rod and bayonet design. The Model 1888 was based on the Model 1873 line of rifles, which had undergone several refinements which had been incorporated into the Springfield Model 1884. Unlike the earlier Model 1880, the Model 1888 used a round rod bayonet design.
The Model 1888 proved to be much more successful than the Model 1880. Between 1890 and 1893, over 60,000 Model 1888 rifles were produced.
During the Spanish–American War, regular army troops were generally issued the new Krag rifles, while guard units were often issued older Trapdoor Springfields, typically Model 1884 or Model 1888 rifles. Ultimately, the Springfield 1888 would be completely replaced by the newer and more efficient Krag design until 1903, when the Krag itself was replaced with the more efficient M1903 Springfield. Although the Model 1888 Springfield proved to be the most developed and efficient of the Springfield Trapdoor rifles, it was simply no match for the advanced technology now available and in use around the world. The Springfield Trapdoor rifles never saw military service again.
References
- Buffalo Soldiers, 1866–91, by Ron Field