The Springfield Trapdoor Rifle is credited with being the first official breech-loading rifle adopted by the United States Army. It was put into military service in 1873, and quickly proved itself to be accurate and powerful. During initial testing, it was observed that a new recruit could load and fire the Springfield rifle at about 8 rounds a minute while experienced soldiers could fire close to 15 rounds a minute. This was a blistering rate of fire when compared to the muskets and muzzle loading rifles that had dominated the world’s battlefields for the last two centuries. The Springfield Trapdoor Rifle played a critical role in the westward expansion of the United States and even saw limited service during the Spanish-American Was and the Philippine-American War. Uberti’s Springfield Trapdoor Rifle is an authentic reproduction of the original down to the last detail, featuring blued steel, a case-hardened breechblock, and a .45-70 chambering. Uberti Springfield Trapdoor .45-70 32.5" Bbl Blue Steel C/H Breechblock & Buttplate Rifle 71007