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Title:	RIFLE, MILITARY -  U.S. RIFLE MODEL 1871 ROLLING BLOCK ARMY .50-70
Maker/Manufacturer:	REMINGTON-RIDER
Date of Manufacture:	1872-1873
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 1132
Measurements:	OL:136.5CM 53 3/4" BL: 91.4CM 36"

Object Description:

U.S. RIFLE MODEL 1871 ROLLING BLOCK ARMY .50-70
Manufactured by Springfield Armory, Springfield, Ma. - Standard Model 1871 Remington-Rider single-shot breechloading rifle. 3-groove rifling, right hand twist. Iron mountings, finished bright. Color casehardened frame. Two iron bands, spring fastened. Walnut two-piece stock. Swivels on upper band and forward of triggerguard. M1868 rear sight 3 1/8" from frame, iron block/blade front sight. Weapon has an overall length of 53 3/4" and a barrel length of 36". Weapon weighs approximately 9.25 lbs. empty.

Markings:
Receiver: MODEL 1871 left side. Eagle/US/SPRINGFIELD/1872 right side.
Receiver Tang: REMINGTONS PATENT/PAT. MAY 3D. NOV 15TH 1864 APRIL 17TH 1868.
Buttplate: US.
Stock: ESA in oval.

1909 Catalog #0729 - "Rifle. Remington Locking Rifle. Cal..50. Millbank vs. Porter, Defendant's exhibit No. 19."

Exhibit label: "MODEL 1870-1871 ROLLING BLOCK RIFLE .50 caliber, 1870-1872, 33,336 made. Remington's 'Rolling Block' actions were manufactured under royalty at Springfield Armory which manufactured versions for the Army and Navy along with carbines and experimental pieces."

Notes: According to Army records this was "defendant's exhibit #49, Milbank vs. Porter."

"A trial board met in St. Louis in March 1870 to investigate the latest rifle designs, eventually reporting that only six among many seemed acceptable - in declining order of preference, Remington, Springfield-Allin, Sharps, Morgenstern, Martini-Henry and Ward-Burton. As 504 rolling-block rifles had been made at Springfield in 1868, their characteristics were well known.
By March of 1871, Springfield had made 1008 infantry-pattern Remingtons, with 32.5in barrels, to compete against 1870-pattern Springfield and Sharps conversions. Trials began in midsummer 1871; the Remington performed best, though ejection was poor and misgivings were expressed about dust jamming the mechanism.
Ten thousand Model 1871 rifles made at Springfield Armory in 1872 were similar to the 1870-pattern U.S. Navy rifles, but had an additional 'Locking Bolt' to prevent accidents occuring when the rolling-block rifles were being loaded at full-cock. The hammer of these guns automatically dropped to half-cock when the breech piece was closed, and had to be retracted manually before firing.
Though the 'Locking Bolt' Remingtons were rejected by army trial boards in 1872-3, 21,000 were purchased by the New York State Militia." - Walter

References:
Clark, David C. ARMS FOR THE NATION. Scott A. Duff. Export, Pa. 1992.
Dorsey, R. Stephen. GUNS OF THE WESTERN INDIAN WAR. Collectors Library. Eugene, Or. 1995.
Walter, John. RIFLES OF THE WORLD. 2nd. Ed. Krause Publications. Iola, Wi. 1998.