Peabody 45-70 carbine

[bigwagon]

I recently acquired this Peabody rifle in a trade after looking for about a year to find a single shot 45-70 to use in my club's cast bullet matches. I was considering some trapdoors and rolling blocks, both antique and repro, but none of them spoke to me until this one. It's not a real carbine, rather a cut down Connecticut militia rifle, but I am very happy with the configuration and condition. The Connecticut contract guns were the only factory produced Peabodys in 45-70 that I'm aware of. Most of the rest were 43 Spanish or rimfires. It would be a crime to alter one of these today, but what's done is done on this one, and frankly I far prefer the 24-inch barrel to a full-length rifle. It's really in outstanding condition with a perfect bore and locks up like a vault.

I live in WI not far from where the company that was making the Peabody reproductions is located, and the guy I got it from actually worked there building those rifles. He told me that when they were in development he tested one of their rifles by firing a 45-70 case filled with IMR 4064 through an obstructed bore as a proof load. They estimated it was 70,000 psi and bulged the barrel but didn't damage the action. I don't intend to try that myself! I will be using some trapdoor loads I already have but intend mainly to shoot my own cast blackpowder loads in it.

[ascast]

I am jealous

[HWooldridge]

Very nice.

[koger]

Nice, thanks for sharing.

[725]

I've wanted a Peabody for a long time. The history of the Peabody and the rifles that used the Peabody concept, albeit, modified, is neat.

Nice rifle.

[stubshaft]

Good looking rifle.

[badwolf]

Got one too, rifle size gotta dig it out and shoot it

[John in PA]

The Peabody Rifle actually won the 1872 government trials at Springfield Armory. Strength, ease and rapidity of firing, resistant to weather and dirt, all of it. But, the govt adopted the Trapdoor Springfield instead, because Erskine Allin, Supt. of Springfield Armory, owned the patent, so no royalties to pay, and the trapdoor used the most number of parts that could be taken from (or adapted from), the multitude of leftover 1861 and 1863 Springfield parts leftover from the "recent unpleasantness." Economy ruled the day in post-civil war America for the government, at least.

Providence Tool Co. wisely planned to get out of the firearms business (market flooded with CHEAP surplus arms), but then, the Turks came along, and, in a convoluted deal in which Oliver Winchester inserted himself, retooled the factory for a 550,000 musket contract, making Peabody-Martini-Henry's. The Turks lost the war, defaulted on the contract, and bankrupted what was, at the time the LARGEST ARMORY IN THE USA! Full story here: https://www.militaryrifles.com/turkishconnection