1866 Springfield trapdoor

[ei276b]

I've got an 1866 Springfield trapdoor 2nd Allin conversion that doesn't fit the usual specs. It matches all the specifications I've read in research books except for the fact that instead of the barrel being resized to .50 cal it remains a .58 caliber CENTERFIRE! It could have been okay if it was a .58 rim fire, but no one has ever heard of this rifle with the receiver and barrel being a .58 centerfire rifle.
Anyone ever heard of this?

[Dick Hosmer]

Not that I can recall, and I "wrote the book!" Anything is possible, but I'd sure like to see a lot of GOOD closeup pictures of the breechblock/receiver area, and a chamber cast, of that one. My first thought is that you have something either REALLY good (as in some kind of 65/66 one-off prototype) or, some sort of bubba or Bannerman. Cannot simply be an 1866 which had lost its' liner, as that would be about .62, and unrifled.

By the way, your comment about "remains a .58 cal. centerfire" would technically be incorrect. All 1865 Allins were .58RF; they (unlike the rolling blocks which ARE known both ways) never existed - outside, possibly of the toolroom - in CF. The change in ignition type, and the caliber reduction were done at the same time. The ONLY possible "missing link", assuming it is genuine, would be something like what you have found. Do you know ANYTHING of the past history/whereabouts/source of your rifle?

This could be a very interesting thread. What part of the country are you in?

[Dan Shapiro]

Pictures!!!!

[ei276b]

It's actually a post by a co-worker as he is not a forum member. I will ask him if he wants to take a few pics. Thank you for your reply.

[Weasel]

Have you measure the inside diameter and does it have any rifling.

[Dick Hosmer]

I've now done a bit more reading and checking, and it seems that there were no more than a handful of .50-70 RIMFIRES assembled - experimentally - during the '65/'66 changeover. I'll have to include that tidbit in any future printing of my book. So, it seems that may have been one path under consideration, and not the "other way around", making this (so far elusive) .58 Allin CF even MORE interesting. Clearly NEITHER "deviation' (58CF or 50RF) bore any fruit at all, but it would be nice to know more.

So, I hope the real owner decides to share his info. Even if the gun is not "correct", negative data is far superior to NO data at all And, if it is a "bubba", that fact should be noted.