Officer's Rifle

[Dick Hosmer]

[QUOTE=deadin;237214]At least I have one........ (and a very well worn one at that!)

That is one of the scarce versions with the single-screw tang sight. What (and where) are the markings on the barrel mounted sight? Have you filled out Vance Haynes' survey? Vance is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Arizona, and has been logging OMs for over 50 years - he's in his late 80s - hopefully he will still publish the results.

[deadin]

I have had extensive contact with Vance, filled out the survey and sent him many detailed pictures. His opinion was that the rifle is correct, except for the replacement Axtel front sight, ramrod and tang sight (one of which I bought and the other two I fabricated from detailed pictures,drawings and measurements he provided.)
The rear barrel sight is a model 1873 with 50,1,2,3,4 on the side. The ladder is graduated from 600 to 1200 on the right side leg.

Here is his final determination regarding this OMR:

“Add to notes: Group 3 OMR, receiver is Type 2b with the steep step angle at the rear end of the Gas Escape Port (GEP) whereas all other Group 3 receivers are Type 2a. The steep step angle does not appear in the production record (Table 1) until the quarter Jan-Mar 1878, six months after the batch of 100 Group 3 OMRs were made in 1877. However, for some unknown reason, a single Group 3 OMR was made in the quarter April-June 1878 corresponding to serial range 81224 to 89726 (Table 1). This Group 3 OMR may be that single OMR made in 1878.”

[Dick Hosmer]

Interesting - are the graduations on the right or left side of the sight base? Mine, made at roughly the same time, has them on the left.

I was going to ask about the tang sight, but wasn't sure how to do it tactfully, since the base looks just a little bit different than my original - thanks for the clarification.

My rod and thimble, and tang sight leaf, were restored by the late Bob Hill.

[deadin]

Dick,
The base is marked on the left.
As for the replacement parts, here is my disclaimer....
The tang sight and ramrod will not "fool" anyone familiar with what they should be, but that was not the intent in the first place. The rifle just looks better with all of the "holes" filled in.

Here's a couple of closer pictures:

[Dick Hosmer]

Thanks. The checkering pattern on your wrist is the same as mine - at least one source has written that the single screw sights are just planted in the checkering with no little diamond border - apparently he never saw one. Also, it looks like your tang does not have the single line border? If not, yet another similarity. I'd also guess that your V P barrel proofs may show a slight double-strike, and there is a very fine extra "P" right by the receiver? That is a characteristic of the period Vance mentioned. My 1877 Cadet (83272) is struck the some way.

[deadin]

If you really want to get into the details, you might want to check out the following site:

http://deadin.info/webpics/index.html

[Dick Hosmer]

NOW I know why that rifle looked vaguely familiar!

I definitely agree with your assessment that it somehow just looks better with all the parts.

[dave]

From what I understand these rifles were ordered and paid for by officers, private purchase in other words. I would think records would exist as to dates, officer ordering, serial number, etc. But I take it no such records have ever been found. Any idea how many were made?

[deadin]

I believe the production count was 477. I have a copy of all of the officers that bought these rifles and the dates they bought them, where they picked them up or had then delivered. The only problem is that the rifles are not serialized, so the only way to tie one to a specific officer is via family records. (In other words, the gun came down in the family.)
The one I have I have traced to a Swiss immigrant that originally bought it in either Montana or Eastern Washington area sometime in the late 1890's on. It was used as a ranch gun on a homestead in NE WA around 1900 and had been passed down through family until I got it from a Grandson. (Granddad immigrated at the age of 14 in the 1880's and never was in the Army)