Where were Springfield Trapdoors held for the Spanish-American War unit mobilizations?

[Hammer]

Since Krag Rifles & Carbines started replacing the US Military’s Trapdoors around 1893, where were all the Trapdoors held in wartime reserve until they were needed to be issued out to units like the Texas 3rd volunteer infantry regiment that was stood up in early 1898 for the Spanish-American War.

Were these Trapdoors held by Springfield Armory?

[John S.]

In most cases, the trapdoors had previously been issued to the states under the Militia Act of 1808, and were in use by state units. Some state units were activated as such, others were sliced and diced and put together under a new unit designation.

[Hammer]

Thank you that makes sense. Then they would’ve been held in State Armories until the States would stand up their volunteer units and militia units. Now I can better understand why many of these Trapdoors have State names or State property marks on them.

[Fred Gaarde]

Barney Joe Davies, an old time antique firearms dealer in Kansas City, Missouri, was friends with a Bird Colonel who worked at Ft. Leavenworth back in the 40’s or 50’s.
Barney told me the colonel took him to a Limestone building at Ft. Leavenworth that had rack after rack of trapdoor rifles and carbines and revolvers. I asked him if there was any ammunition stored with them and he said yes.
The colonel told Barney that they were held for emergency issue or something like that.
Barney related that incident to me back around 1976.

[Hammer]

Well that’s really interesting!

I’d imagine that would have been a museum if it had trapdoor rifles stored in it in the 40s or 50s, but maybe they were M1917’s and if so they could’ve been stored there for emergency/wartime utilization. I just can’t imagine that Trapdoors would’ve still been retained for any type of utilization in the 1940s or 50s.

[Dick Hosmer]

I've been told, on very good authority, that virgin crates were still being opened in the 1950s - but a whole building, I'd have to wonder at - though it is not totally impossible. The navy was using cut-down 1873s as line-throwing guns in WW2, and probably beyond. Some back-water Coast Guard units had .45-70 rifles in WW2 as well. When the rod-bayonet model 1888 was adopted, they apparently put a ton of late 1884s, made in 1889, into storage. If you see a minty/new TD today, the odds are VERY good that it will be cartouched 1889.

[Fred Gaarde]

Barney told me that the bottom floor of the building had the trapdoors. That required one to walk down from ground level to a door that they entered through.
No museum. Hundreds of firearms in storage. Yes, it happened.

[Hammer]

I believe you Fred. And Dick has confirmed that these absolutely amazing 1870 & 1880s built US military firearms were still being utilized by the US Military in World War 2. Absolutely Wow!