Early M1873 with unit markings

[m1903rifle]

I have an early M1873 ( #11,207 ) that is unit marked. I have attached pictures of the markings. Steuben Guard was a Civil war unit formed in NY and was composed almost entirely of men of German decent. I think the unit ( Steuben Guard ) was disbanded after the war and I don't understand why this rifle would have this marking. Maybe it was reorganized and kept the name???

[Fred]

Just curious, how many grooves does your rifle have? I once owned rifle 11801 that had five grooves and five lands in it.

[Dan Shapiro]

A lot of units formed veterans associations after the war. Perhaps they purchased surplus arms for ceremonial purposes?

[m1903rifle]

Fred..............My rifle is standard with 3 grooves.
Just curious, how many grooves does your rifle have? I once owned rifle 11801 that had five grooves and five lands in it.

[Fred]

The rifle had a long wrist, 1879 rear sight, early breech block, early lock plate with the date of 1873 on it, early knurled hammer, early thumb latch, early cleaning rod, early butt plate, and VP Eagles Head on the barrel. The last detail mentioned is curious since the five grooved bore should indicate that the barrel wasn't made at Springfield Armory. But who knows?

[Dick Hosmer]

The Shadow do! One of the as-yet unsolved mysteries of trapdoordom. Most people say, some emphatically, not SA, but I'm still just not sure. I have had a loose 5-groove barrel for almost 50 years and have compared it, externally, to several other standard barrels. If it did not come off the same machinery, I'd be very surprised. FWIW, it also has the scarce (if not rare) "T" letter code which has been observed on a few genuine rifles. Your gun was of mixed parts, Fred - there should be no barrel proofs at 11801 - but that doesn't mean the barrel itself was "wrong". Mine also has full SA proofs.

[Dan Shapiro]

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?"

Yeah, I know, it dates me.

[Dick Hosmer]

Yup. Of course, "The Shadow do" is the punch line of a non-PC joke, the beginning of which I have totally forgotten!!!!!