Trapdoor Rifles

Copies of the Report of the Chief of Ordnance for 1873 and the Ordnance Memorandum 15 and showing the difference in the illustrations, the OM15 was first Govt. publication to use actual photos, or so I have been told

The Iron guard 1880 Hunting Knife and Varney scabbard
A good reference book on these and the later ones is "Light but Efficient" by Hardin and Hedden

And finally, for tonight, a photo of Freeman Bull, this is from a miniature photo I found somewhere

Great stuff, Don!! Sometimes I think we can get too immersed in the guns, and pass over a lot of the interesting accoutrements. Thanks for sharing.

Yes, Thank you!