What is this? "1868 TOWER" centerfire. PIC HEAVY [Archive] - Colorado AR-15 Shooters Club Discussion Forums

View Full Version : What is this? "1868 TOWER" centerfire. PIC HEAVY

970TJ

10-05-2011, 23:35

My parents have had this rifle in their basement for 35-40 years, and I did try to do some research a while back and didn't get very far. I figured one of you relic experts on here could idenify it or point me in the right direction. It is a centerfire rifle that has a big heavy lid that lifts up allowing you to slip a round into the chamber. It's chambered in .577 Snider from what I found on the web; but I very well could be wrong. It does have a rifled bore, and the condition of the bore is pretty damn good considering the age, although the pic I have shows the bore to be very dusty. In fact, I think it could be fired if a guy could could find/make ammo for it, as everything functions and is very tight, and I think it has a pretty low round count. The wood is in pretty good shape as well, and it is complete from what I can tell. There are various proof marks on it including a crown, and a stamp that says "Snider Patent".
Anyway, on to the pics; I took a bunch of pics because I don't have the rifle here with me to look at and answer questions. But if any of you have any questions, ask and I'll do my best to get the info that is needed. Anyway, on to the pics.
This a pic of it standing upright next to a door frame to get an idea of the length. (standard finished door height 80"?)
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/tower2.jpg

Right side of the receiver. You can kind of see the crown behind the hammer.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/tower4.jpg

Top of the rifle with the bolt closed? (I've never seen another one of these, so I didn't know how else to describe it. lol)
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/tower3.jpg

Top of the receiver with the bolt up. There is a firing pin that is on a spring and runs through it that is hit buy the hammer mechanism. And you can see the area where the rim of the round rests.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/tower5.jpg

Another of the top of the receiver with the bolt open. What looks like rust is mostly dust. I think the gun would clean right up, but I didn't want to do much with it until I find out what it is.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower8.jpg

This is a shitty pic of it from the rear with the rear iron stood up. There's 3 or 4 levels on the base to adjust for range.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower13.jpg

Butt plate.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower12.jpg

Pic of the muzzle with cleaning rod pulled out a little.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower11.jpg

Some of the proof's(?) off of the left side of the rifle.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower9.jpg

Pic of the Snider patent that's inbetween the pin the hammer strikes, and the lip to lift the bolt up with.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower15.jpg

Another mark forward of the bolt, and behind the rear sight.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower24.jpg

Looking back at the hammer from the muzzle with the bolt up. You can see the firing pin in the bolt that strikes the primer of the round, and the pin the hammer hits it with. At least that's what it looks like to me.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower22.jpg

Pic of the bore. There's 30 years or more of dust, but you can still clearly see the rifling. Again, the picture makes it look way worse than it is.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower20.jpg

Pic of the crown on the right rear of the receiver behind the hammer.

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower19.jpg

970TJ

10-05-2011, 23:54

Pic of the "Tower 1868"
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower18.jpg

Overall pic of the gun.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/atower26.jpg

Thanks in advance for any info anyone can give me.
Matt

El Caballo Loco

10-06-2011, 00:15

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snider-Enfield

http://www.militaryrifles.com/britain/snider.htm

http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.com/forums/2/Snider-Enfield-Forum#.To1G9rJv-pU

Ammo is EXPENSIVE!!! - http://www.google.com/search?q=.577+snider+ammo&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

That Britishmilitariaforums has all the info you need!

Mazin

10-06-2011, 07:30

Damn skippy ammo is expensive holy cow $140 for 10 rnds.

970TJ

10-06-2011, 09:26

After I posted this thread I started looking around again. When I researched it before, I didn't use "Snider" as a key word and that's why I didn't get very far. I'm finding all kinds of info now, but keep the replies coming![Beer]

970TJ

10-06-2011, 12:06

Here is a few more. My dad found a stamp in the stock, and what appears to be initials scratched in. The stamp looks old enough to be original, but the initials look newer.
From looking around I've only found one with the "25" proof marks on the barrel, and the explanation was that it was American and probably Civil War era. Which doesn't make sense because the date on the gun is 1868, and the Civil War ended 1865? I've never had much intrest in relics and the like, but it looks like I just gained another pocket draining hobby.....
Here is the stamp just behind the trigger gaurd.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/Towerinitials2.jpg

Here are the scratched in initials that appeared to me done much later.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/970TJ/1868%20tower/Towerinitials.jpg

I would be way cool to find out the complete history of this rifle. The stamp "W Singer" could be who it was issued to? It does have alot less proofs/stamps on it that most all of the others I've seen; which gives me the feeling that it either was never taken out of service from the military and sold as surplus, or it was civilian owned from new.

SAnd

10-06-2011, 14:53

Rocky Mountain Cartridge lists .577 Snider brass. His price list shows 20 rounds for $85. I'm not sure the prices are current though.

Very nice piece of history.

970TJ

10-07-2011, 09:47

El Caballo Loco

10-07-2011, 11:17

Sweet. Congrats on finding some info.

I'd love to have that thing hanging up on my wall! I'm so jealous. Take good care of it!

970TJ

10-07-2011, 11:35

Sweet. Congrats on finding some info.

I'd love to have that thing hanging up on my wall! I'm so jealous. Take good care of it!
Thanks! I'm probably going to clean it up and shoot it. Every time I go over and visit my parents they tell me to get the rest of my stuff out of their basement, which included this rifle. I've been saving this from the garbage can my whole life! Now all of a sudden its not mine anymore![ROFL2]