Trapdoor Rifles

M1866 rifle marked on right side of barrel below the hinge Details in auction description at
https://hindmanauctions.com/auctions/20 ... ia/lot/175

Dr. Vance Haynes noted that General Custers 1866 sporting rifle is marked Co H 3d infty. page 35 "General Custer and his sporting rifles C. Vance Haynes Jr. Westernlore press Tuscon 1995" One would think that many more exist out there.

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These are legitimate regular army unit markings. I have one exactly like it, in fact, I bought it from the same gentleman who owns the subject rifle. So far, I have accounted for eight M1866 rifles with this same marking made from the same marking die set and one M1868 rifle with the same marking including one in the collection at Fort Larned, KS National Historic Site. I located the ordnance returns for the Third Infantry during the time period. It seems the Third were issued the M1866s when they were moved to Fort Leavenworth, turning in their Spencer rifles and M1863 Springfield muzzle loader single shots. In 1868, the Third Infantry companies were dispersed throughout the various army posts in western Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado, to combat the incursions of the various plains Indian tribes against settlers' travels across that area. Company F, 3rd Infantry, temporarily found itself at Ft. Dodge, where it was designated to accompany the expedition into the northwest part of the Indian Territory. This occurred in November, 1868. They were designated to stay and provide security to a supply camp on Wolf Creek in the territory of what became present day Oklahoma. This site became Camp Supply (and later Fort Supply, Oklahoma.), and became the operations and supply base for Col. Custer, Phil Sheridan, and the Seventh Cavalry, among other units, during the Winter Campaign of 1868 and the Battle of the Washita. Company F, 3rd Infantry participated in several skirmishes in the sand hills around Camp Supply, during their stay there.
Attached are a couple photos of my unit marked M1866, showing the exact same stamping method.

That's a good looking rifle throck3!!