Rifleman Q&A: Needham Conversion

by
posted on July 22, 2022
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Needhamconversion

Q. About 20 years ago I bought a Springfield rifle, and at that time I was told that it had an Allin conversion. Recently I watched a television segment on guns that showed a Springfield rifle with an Allin conversion, but that gun opened to the top, whereas mine opens to the side as the picture shows. Is my gun an Allin conversion or does it have a different name?


A. You do not have an “Allin Conversion.” Your rifle appears to be one of the Needham Conversions of an M1861/M1863 Civil War Springfield rifle-musket. These guns were converted by the firm of J&G Needham of Trenton, N.J., circa 1869, and are chambered for a .58-cal. center-fire cartridge. The number of rifles converted to the Needham pattern is not known but estimates range as high as 4,000 to 5,000. The Needham guns were not standardized or utilized by the U.S. military, but a few state militia units reportedly purchased some in the early 1870s.

The Needham Conversion is characterized by the side-hinging breechblock as opposed to the Allin Conversion’s top-mounted “trapdoor” breechblock. The Needham offered no real advantages over the standardized Allin action and was presumably developed as an attempt to circumvent the Allin patent.

—Bruce N. Canfield


This “Questions & Answers” was featured in the February 2005 issue of American Rifleman. At time of publication, “Questions & Answers” was compiled by Staff, Ballistics Editor William C. Davis, Jr., and Contributing Editors: David Andrews, Hugh C. Birnbaum, Bruce N. Canfield, O. Reid Coffield, Charles Q. Cutshaw, Charles M. Fagg, Charles Karwan, Angus Laidlaw, Evan P. Marshall, Charles E. Petty, Robert B. Pomeranz, O.D., Jon R. Sundra, Jim Supica, A.W.F. Taylerson, John M. Taylor and John Treakle.

To subscribe to the magazine, please visit the NRA membership page and select American Rifleman as your member magazine.

Latest

FN “Moroccan” Mauser, semi-automatic LRB M14SA
FN “Moroccan” Mauser, semi-automatic LRB M14SA

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Trijicon Releases Green-Dot RMR

For the first time, the Trijicon RMR will now be available with a green aiming dot, providing some benefits to shooters with astigmatism and red-green color blindness.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 15, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Firearm Industry Companies Consolidate, Others Close Doors In 2025

This year has already seen some big changes in the firearm industry. They don’t quite reach the tectonic shift in 2020, when legendary firms owned by Remington Outdoor were auctioned off, but there have still been some notable shifts within the industry in 2025.

Preview: Uni-Loader

The easy-to-use Uni-Loader can save high-volume shooters a lot of time and finger pain.

CZ 600+ Introduces Switch-Barrel Capability

In 2025, CZ USA expanded its 600 series rifle lineup with the CZ 600+, a design that delivers on the company's promise of a switch-barrel platform.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.