Here's a big bore handgun to go with your big bore rifles.

Right after the Civil War Springfield Armory made eight (8) single shot 50/70 trapdoor pistols for US Calvary officers for use in the Indian Wars. These guns were originally calvary carbines that the factory modified the stocks, barrel, sights, etc and turned them into pistols.

Serial number 1 is in a private collection, #2 is in the Springfield Armory Museum, #3 is in the Smithsonian and this is #4 that I'm holding in my hand. A good friend of mine owns it and has the most complete private collection of US military handguns in the U.S. You won't find many rarer guns than this.

The other 4 guns that were made are also in private collections.

Nice!
Thanks for sharing!

Yep. Thanks for sharing that.
Very interesting "horse pistol."
The .500 S&W handgun round is like a scaled-down version of the 50-70 Govt.
Now we know the .500 S&W was trumped back in the 1860s.

BY ORDER OF
COL. J.O. BENTON
DMO.-. 1869

???

I love those old trapdoor rifles, have three old originals, two in 50-70, one in 45-70.
Rusty McGee is still working on restoring one of the old 50-70s.
That is my backup Lucretia Borgia.

Frank, did you have an opportunity to shoot it or see it shot? I love a trapdoor.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Frank, did you have an opportunity to shoot it or see it shot? I love a trapdoor.

No, it's one of the guns that my friend will not shoot.

That is really neat.

ATF says you can't make that conversion !
We had a Navy and Army 50 cal pistol in 1870 ,These were Remington Rolling Block pistols .
The Sharps falling block was made also though I don't know offhand the caliber.
I was not aware of the Trapdoor conversion .Thanks for posting !

No way would I want to cut down and restock one of my 50-70 rifles! ATF go sit in the corner.
We are just now about to get all the old original cracked walnut patched up and epoxied back together.