Model 1884 Trapdoor Springfield

At the conclusion of the American Civil War, the U.S. military developed a new kind of rifle that could accept a self-contained metallic cartridge. Eventually, this spawned an entire line of breechloading firearms collectively known as "Trapdoor Springfields" that armed American troops from the 1860s until the turn of the 20th century. Of all the designs, one of the most refined and popular was the Model 1884 Trapdoor Springfield. Watch our "American Rifleman Television: I Have This Old Gun" segment above to see the details of the '84 Trapdoor.