Springfield Model 1866
| Springfield Model 1866 | |
|---|---|
| general information | |
| Civil name: | Springfield Rifle Model 1866 |
| Military designation: | US Springfield Breech-Loading Rifle Musket, Model 1866 |
| Country of operation: | USA , France |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Springfield Armory |
| Manufacturer country: | United States |
| Production time: | 1867 to 1869 |
| Weapon Category: | gun |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | 55 15/16 "/ 1421 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | > 10 pounds /> 4.5 kg |
| Barrel length : | 36.6 inches / 930 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | .50-70 Government |
| Ammunition supply : | Single loader |
| Cadence : | 20 rounds / min |
| Fire types: | Single fire |
| Number of trains : | 3 |
| Twist : | 1/42 " |
| Visor : | open sights |
| Closure : | Hinge lock |
| Charging principle: | Breech loader |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Springfield Model 1866 , also US Springfield Allin Conversion Model 1866 , Springfield Breech-Loading Rifle Musket, Model 1866 or second Allin , was a breech-loading rifle that was manufactured from 1867 to 1869. It was created as an adaptation of the Springfield Model 1861 front loader.
development
prehistory
Even before the American Civil War, efforts were made to introduce breech-loaders with metal cartridges into the US Army. For cost reasons, modifications to existing muzzle-loaders, especially the US Model 1861 Rifle-Musket , a Minié rifle, were preferred to completely new designs. The so-called Morse conversion, which used a center fire cartridge, was planned for introduction at the beginning of the civil war, but the outbreak of the war stopped all further work. After the end of the war the muzzle-loaders were technically outdated and the switch to breech-loaders was urgently required.
Erskine S. Allin , the chief armorer of the Springfield Armory , had already developed the Model 1865, which used a rimfire cartridge in the original .58 caliber.
technology
These weapons were hinged closures ( English hinged breechblock ) provided, as this relatively easily allowed the Aptieren the abundant drawn muzzle-loading rifles. Only minor changes to the shaft were required and the lock could be retained. In order to be able to install the hinge lock, the chamber of the weapon was cut open at the top. The hammer no longer hit a primer, but instead hit the firing pin built into the breech.
variants
Model 1866 rifle
The 1865 model had revealed some weaknesses that Allin wanted to eliminate with the 1866 model. The most important change was the switch to the new, smaller caliber .50. For this purpose, the barrels were drilled out, given a new inner barrel and redrawn. Furthermore, the somewhat complicated ejector mechanism of the Model 1865 has been replaced by a simpler and more robust construction. The gun had three treadmills and retained the sight of the Model 1861. About 52,000 pieces were made.
Model 1866 Short Rifle
In the course of the overhaul of 26,000 used Model 1866 for export to France, it was found that around 1,500 rifles had damage in the muzzle area, mainly from firing with a clogged muzzle. These barrels were shortened by 4 "and completed with shortened shafts from the Model 1863. The Model 1866 Short Rifle only had two treadmills.
Model 1866 Cadet Rifle
Between 1867 and 1868, 424 cadet rifles were manufactured for use at West Point Military Academy . These were scaled down editions of the Model 1866, also in caliber .50-70. The front sight was soldered onto the shortened barrel.
ammunition
The .50-70 Government cartridge was developed by Steven Vincent Benét at Frankford Arsenal . It is a center fire cartridge with a rim and a straight case. The charge consisted of 4.5 g of black powder, the full lead bullet weighed 29 g. The muzzle velocity with this cargo was 384 m / s.
commitment
United States
The weapons were issued to the troops on June 1, 1867, as a direct result of the Fetterman battle .
The rifles were first used in the fall of 1867 in the skirmishes at Hayfield and the Wagon Box Fight during the Red Cloud War . The significantly higher rate of fire compared to muzzle-loaders (a skilled shooter could fire up to 20 targeted shots per minute) made it possible for the US Army to fend off the numerically superior Sioux and Cheyenne .
As early as 1869/1870 the rifles were withdrawn from service at the front and replaced by the 1868 model. Model 1866 was used by scouts and buffalo hunters until the mid-1870s .
France
Around 26,000 Model 1866 were sold to France in 1870 and were used there in the Franco-German War .
Web links
- Model 1866 Rifles, Short Rifles and Cadet Rifles
- US Springfield Allin Conversion Model 1866
- Overview and handling of the Springfield Model 1873
- Chuck Hawks: Buffalo Cartridges of the American Frontier
literature
- Ernest Lisle Reedstrom: Apache Wars. An Illustrated Battle History, Sterling Publ., New York 1990, ISBN 0-8069-7254-8 , pp. 125-134.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Handguns (breech loader: hinged or flap locks)
- ^ William Murphy: The Wagon Box Fight
- ^ Reprint, Barnes & Noble Books, 1995, ISBN 1-5661-9959-X .