Original Item: Only One Available. The Smith Carbine was a 0.50 caliber breech-loading rifle patented by Gilbert Smith on June 23, 1857 and successfully completed the Military Trials of the late 1850s. It was used by various cavalry units during the American Civil War. It was unique in that it broke apart in the middle for loading, and that it used rubber cartridges which sealed the gases in the breech. The downside was that these cartridges were difficult to remove. It was one of the many "capping breech loader" firearms that bridged the gap between percussion and cartridge firearms.

The carbines were built by three companies: Massachusetts Arms Company of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts; the American Machine Works in Springfield, Massachusetts; or the American Arms Company in Chicopee Falls. The name of the distributor for the manufacturer, Poultney & Trimble of Baltimore, Maryland, is often stamped on the carbine's receivers, as is the case with this example.

This is a rare Civil War era example a complete and original Smith's Patent Carbine in very good honest used condition, showing that it was well cared for. The case hardening has worn away on the receiver, as often seen, and there are some areas of light peppering near the breech joint. However there is still much of the original bluing on the barrel, with no signs of refinishing or other alterations. This looks like a gun that saw light to moderate service during the war, and was then retired once the ammunition became unavailable.

The distributor information is marked on the left upper receiver:

Below this, under the saddle ring bar, is the manufacture's abbreviated address marking:

There is also the correct SMITH'S PATENT / JUNE. 23. 1857 marking horizontally under the saddle ring bar, so it is hard to photograph. All of these markings are relatively crisp and show signs of light wear. The carbine carries a five digit serial number of 14615 stamped on the underside of the barrel hinge on both the receiver and barrel side. Mechanically, this carbine is sound with a tight action, strong springs, and all original components (in our opinion). The lock functions correctly, holding at half cock and firing at full, and has a very strong mainspring. The saddle ring is still intact, retained by the saddle bar on the right hand side. The front and rear sight are both present, however the rear sight has a broken spring and the slider is stuck in the up position.

The bore is in very good condition, still showing strong lands and grooves with a mostly bright finish. There definitely is a bit of powder burn and past oxidation near the chamber, so this is a carbine that saw a fair amount of use, but was properly cleaned after use. The stock wood is in very good condition, showing light overall wear, with no major cracking or damage. There looks to have been some markings made into the left side of the stock, now removed. The wood has a lovely color, and there are some "ghosts" of the original inspection cartouches present.

Here is an important piece of American firearm history from the time of the American Civil War, and it is available to one person only; the collector enthusiast who appreciates rare and hard to find!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: c.1863
Caliber: .50"
Cartridge Type: Rubber Cartridge with Percussion Cap
Barrel Length: 21 1/2 Inches
Overall Length: 39 Inches
Action type: Side Action Percussion Lock
Feed System: Single Shot Breech Loading

The Smith's Patent Carbine, a single shot, breech loading, percussion .50 caliber, was one of the most important Federal Cavalry carbines of the Civil War. Production of these carbines was almost entirely consumed by government contracts. A total of approximately 30,362 Smith Carbines were purchased by the United States during the Civil War.

The part octagonal and part round barrel is 21 5/8 inches long, with blued finish, while the action is case hardened. The barrel is fitted with a blade front sight and a folding ladder rear sight. The "octagonal" portion of the barrel is 6 1/8 inches long and consists of 5 flats over the top 180 degrees of the barrel and a round surface for the lower 180 degrees (the portion under the hand guard). The front 14 inch section of the barrel is round. The butt stock has a steel two-screw curved carbine butt plate. All smith carbines were originally chambered in .50, utilizing a "Capping Breech Loader" system.

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