Seeking information on Springfield 1884

Dear Mr. Kovala,

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

Military records in our custody do not include the record of assignment and operational activity of individual pieces of equipment.  Under normal War Department and Department of the Army records management procedures, such documentation would be destroyed after initial administrative use. 

We searched the National Archives Catalog and located 27 record series of the Springfield Armory from the 1880s in the Records of the Office of the Chief of Ordnance (Record Group 156) that may include the design and technical specifications of rifles M1884 rifles, carbines and cadet rifles. For access to these series, please contact the National Archives at Boston (RE-BO) via email at boston.archives@nara.gov.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pursuant to guidance received from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NARA has adjusted its normal operations to balance the need of completing its mission-critical work while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of NARA staff. As a result of this re-prioritization of activities, you may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgement as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RE-BO. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience.

In addition, the Springfield Armory National Historic Site has records or publications that may be of interest.

We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your research!