Springfield Model 1873 Cadet Rifle

About the Springfield Model 1873 Cadet Rifle

The Springfield Model 1873 Cadet Rifle is a single-shot, breech-loading rifle chambered in .45-70 Government, built around the hinged trapdoor breechblock designed by Erskine S. Allin at the U.S. National Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts. A slightly shortened and lightened version of the standard Model 1873 infantry rifle, it was issued to cadets at the United States Military Academy and other military schools for drill and marksmanship training. Its roughly 29.5-inch barrel and reduced weight made the substantial .45-70 recoil more manageable for young cadets while preserving the mechanics of the service rifle.

The trapdoor Springfield was the U.S. Army's first standard breech-loading rifle to fire a metallic cartridge, and its .45-70 round became an enduring American classic. The Cadet Rifle put that same action into the hands of West Point cadets, training a generation of officers on the arm they would carry into service.

Springfield Model 1873 Cadet Rifle specifications

One of several trapdoor Springfield sub-variants; the Cadet Rifle mirrors the full-length service rifle but with a shorter barrel and lighter build for training use at military academies.