Original U.S. Indian Wars Era USMC M1874 McKeever Cartridge Box for Trapdoor Springfield Rifle - Early USM Marine Corps Example

Original Item. Only One Available. This is an exceedingly rare M1874 McKeever Cartridge box for the Trapdoor Springfield 45/70 rifle or carbine with embossing for USM, which is the early period embossing for the U.S. Marine Corps. The box is in fair service-used condition with heavy crazing, but is still a solid example with a retained securing strap.

This McKeever cartridge box measures 6⅝ x 4¼”. The front side is embossed USM, indicating early issue to the United States Marine Corps. The back belt loops are in good shape but show signs of cracking, as well as the tab that closes the box. The metal bar at the bottom is in good condition. On the interior, the box looks well-preserved, with what looks like a very faded name written in the middle area. The sleeve on the right side of the interior is missing the tool. The rivets on the interior show signs of minor verdigris.

Overall, this is a great M1876 McKeever cartridge box, with the added bonus of being a Marine Corps issue. Don’t miss out.

From the earliest European visitors to the Westward Expansion of the United States, settlers often encountered the American Indians. Though many of these meetings were peaceful, the cultures often clashed, resulting in hundreds of battles and skirmishes between the Natives and encroaching pioneers upon their lands. The pioneers weren’t the only ones to clash or have conflicts with the Native tribes, the U.S. Army did as well. Though confrontations with the Natives virtually occurred ever since the first European explorers and settlers set foot in the “New World”, the “Indian War period” is primarily referred to as occurring between 1866 and 1890. These many conflicts are often overshadowed by other periods of U.S. history like the American Civil War for example.

By the early 20th century, the American-Indian Wars had effectively ended, but at a great cost. Though the Natives helped colonial settlers survive in the New World, helped Americans gain their independence and ceded vast amounts of land and resources to pioneers, tens of thousands of Native and non-native lives were lost to war, disease and famine, and the Indian way of life was almost completely destroyed.