Rifleman Q&A: Needham Conversion

by
posted on July 22, 2022
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

British Pattern 1851 “Minié” Rifle-Musket
British Pattern 1851 “Minié” Rifle-Musket

I Have This Old Gun: British Pattern 1851 “Minié” Rifle-Musket

Though its active official service life was less than a half-dozen years, Britain’s Pattern 1851 “Minié” rifle musket was an important step in the evolution of military longarms.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 25, 2023

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

Editor’s Choice: Taurus USA Raging Hunter 10”

Taurus’ award-winning Raging Hunter double-action revolver lineup now includes a five-shot, 10.5"-barreled version chambered for the high-pressure .460 S&W Mag. cartridge.

Review: Mossberg Patriot LR Tactical

Connecticut manufacturer Mossberg has a well-earned reputation for making affordable, top-quality shotguns, and while the company takes pride in this fact, its underrated pistols and rifles are often overlooked.

Product Preview: NRA Compound OWB Holster

Made in the U.S., emblazoned with the NRA logo on its face and backed by a lifetime warranty, the NRA Compound Holster is a premium OWB holster offering from NRAStore.com featuring hybrid construction with adjustable tension.

The Irish Lugers: An Update

In recent years, a number of documents clarifying the role of the Pistole 08 Luger in the Irish War of Independence have been discovered. Here, the authors provide context and identifying information for a number of Lugers known to have been used in Ireland during the country's fight for freedom.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.