Intended to replace the proliferation of different small arms fielded by US forces during the American Civil War, the "Trapdoor Springfield" was designed in 1865-66 by Erskine S. Allin. Using metallic cartridges, it could be loaded in a single action, increasing the number of shots per minute as much as fivefold. The new weapon quickly proved its worth in two separate incidents in August 1867: small groups of US soldiers and civilians armed with...
Related Subjects
History