1st Model 1873 Springfield Carbine, used in the ”Battle of Little Big Horn” or ” Custer’s Last Stand”. If you have any questions or would like a free appraisal email Steve directly at stevemnsn@yahoo.com

[Music] [Applause] [Music] Welcome to the Civil War collectible Channel my name is Steve Monson and I am The Civil War guru well today we’ve got Something for you special and this Actually is a little after the Civil War What we have here is a custard as in General custard carving of the Indian War Fame this is a model 1873 Springfield carbon and this is the car Being that they took into the Battle of The Little Bighorn these things were Made famous through the Battle of Little Bighorn now there’s several several Models of Springfield carbines but this Is the first model this is the model 1873 there are some unique features on The first model 1873 and there’s things That will indicate that this is a first Model and I’ll show you what those are Now on the 73 Springfield carbine the Values depicted in the serial number Range so if you have a pre Jill I 1876 Springfield they put it in what we call The custard period serial number range But then there’s the custard carbines That are actually in the range that the Ones have been proven to be used by Custard picked off the battlefield Recaptured by the Indians and that this Is what one of these are this is what This particular gun is first thing we’re

Going to talk about the 73 is when you [ __ ] the hammer back on the Custer Period two clicks later period three the Next thing you want to look for on Custer period carbine is when you open The breech block up 73 has the high hop Here but the later runs don’t have that That type of hump in it so that’s number Two Number three is the sights this is the First model long-range sights on it and Of course the standard blade sight and Another thing we want to look for on a Custer carbine is of course the serial Numbers they are blocked right there This particular serial number on this Gun is seventeen thousand five five six But after the battle they went up and Picked up all the broken guns because The Indians carried off the good ones And they kept good records and then as The Indians were captured and put back On the reservation and as they Surrendered and went back to the Reservation up until the 1880s they Would log guns in that they took away From the Indians so there’s been several Of the seventeen thousand settlement Arranged that have been recaptured are Picked up off the battlefield and they End up on both sides of this particular Serial number so that indicates these Things were shipped out west in crates Of tens and twenties and when the

Seventh Cavalry started into battle in The warehouses and at the fort there Were six hundred and thirty nine Springfield seventy-three carbines in Inventory so we know that with guns as Low as seventeen thousand 425 been Picked up and as high as seventeen Thousand eight hundred ninety five that Had been recovered from the battle so we Are almost sure that this particular gun Was used that’s about a Little Bighorn Now scientifically they can prove it you Can ship this particular gun to the Little Bighorn museum and for a fee of $10,000 they will fire a cartridge Through it then they will scientifically Deduce if this gun was The Battle of the Little Bighorn the Value of the Custer drains gonna start At anything made prior to July of 1876 An average condition They start around $2,500 and they go up To thirty five forty five fifty five Hundred dollars depending on condition But then we get into the range where You’re a few numbers off here a few Numbers off their guns on both sides of A particular serial number it takes it To a different level you can take it up To the twenty five thousand dollar range And then the guns are actually beyond a Shadow of a doubt 100% proven to have Been at the bout a little bighorn They’ll value into the hundred thousand

Dollar range and that is almost Astonishing but but that is what the Value has been established on a custard Use carving this particular carbine if You look at the overall condition is Exactly what you would expect to find on A Custer period carbine normally if it Was in inventory and at the fort and if There was any problems they would send It back to Springfield and they would Adjust or fix or modify and most of the Custard period carbines have had Alterations to them but this particular Carbine is in no alterations other than I suspect the front barrel band because I’m under an impression it would have Had a sling rack sling underneath of it But that’s not necessarily true this Pearl band looks like it’s been on there Forever but there are no modifications On this none so that’s another great Indication that this gun was used and Never returned back to the fort and to Me I think it was the capture gun but at This point today we’re going to consider This gun into $25,000 value range but For me this is exciting you never get a Chance to own or even touch An original custard gun also on display With it is the meals cartridge belt and This is also what they would have worn At the bat a little bighorn this is the Early model of course I’ve laid out a 4570 cartridge out there so you can see

What they look like so for me today this Is a lot of fun to have an experience to Even evaluate they sent me three Springfield in the custard period so From the simple are good River Have a great day [Music] [Music]