Original Item: Only One Available. This very interesting Burnside Cavalry Carbine in .54 caliber is offered in good condition, and looks to have seen long service during the war, and possibly likely afterwards. It is marked on the frame and barrel with serial number 177, which is VERY early in production. It does not have a fore stock or any provision for one, and there is no inlet for the breech axis pin release button, indicating that it is a SECOND model, the first that we have ever had! Only 2000 of these were produced by the Burnside company during 1861-1862, before it was replaced by the Third model, which was made during 1862 only.

After this, the Fourth model introduced a "double pivoted" breech block, which had a “hinged center section” that allowed the cartridges to be inserted more easily than the previous models, which only had the pivot at the front under the action. The design was not perfect however, and the new breech block design could easily move out of alignment, so for the Fifth and final model, a "guide screw" on the right side of the frame was introduced, which fit into a groove in the breech block, preventing excessive movement of the breech block.

While this is certainly a Second model receiver and barrel, the breech block is double pivoted without a guide screw channel, so it is from a Fourth model burnside carbine. The parts of the various models were for the most part interchangeable, so this type of swapping is relatively common. The original "pivoted trigger guard" design was often hard to deal with, so if a replacement block was available, it would gladly be installed. It does look like there was some type of damage to the locking mechanism on the breech block, which was then repaired.

We can see a faint serial number 6173 on the top front of the block, and the front hinged portion has a clearer stamping of the same number, confirming it is a Fourth model by serial number. We checked the Springfield Research Services records, but were not able to find any possible shipments that either serial number may have been a part of.

This example of a Second Model Burnside Carbine definitely saw long service, and shows a worn patina on the metalwork, with some areas of past peppering. The butt stock is quite nice, but may have been replaced at some point during service. It originally did have a saddle bar and ring, but this was removed, and we can see the original plugged holes from where it was attached. The sling swivel on the bottom of the butt stock was also removed, ground off down to the fitting. Wear has also made the markings on the top of the receiver aside from the serial number too faint to read. The marking on the lock plate is however still partly legible:

The metalwork overall shows a gray matte steel patina from years of oxidation and subsequent cleaning, There are some areas with oxidation staining, but no major rust. The area around the cap nipple cone definitely shows some past powder burn, now cleaned away. There is also a good amount of oxidation around and inside the breech, which has a brass front plate to prevent the fouling harming the metal. It still retains the brass shell in the rear of the breech, which was used to aid in forming a gas seal. The butt stock shows wear, but is really quite nice, with lovely grain.

The bore is actually in fairly good condition, showing a mostly bright finish with clear lands and grooves. There is wear to the lands and grooves, and also some past fouling and oxidation, but for a Civil War black powder gun, this is actually very good. It has the correct 5 groove rifling for a Burnside. The action cycles correctly, with a functional lock and tight mechanics. As this is a fourth model breech block, the action does not have a "guide screw" on the right hand side, so the action can be hard to keep in the "loading position".

A lovely "salty" service worn example of a SECOND Model Burnside Carbine, which had the breech block replaced with a Fourth Model during its long service. This is the only example of a Second model that we have ever had! Ready to research and display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: c.1861
Caliber: .54"
Cartridge Type: Copper Casing or Tapered Foil Cartridge with Cap
Barrel Length: 21 Inches
Overall Length: 39 Inches
Action type: Side Action Lock
Feed System: Breech Loading Falling Hinged Block

History of the Burnside Carbine

The Burnside, one of the best carbines of the Civil War, was designed by one of its worst generals. Actually, Maj. Gen. Ambrose Everett Burnside had sold the interest in his breechloader well before the war started, so he was unencumbered with the need to further its development or, sadly, to reap the proceeds that would have resulted from its success as the conflict’s third most widely produced Federal carbine, after the Sharps and Spencer.

Burnside’s invention employed a rotating block, released by a loading lever that was activated by a hinged, clamping catch. It chambered a unique .54-cal. cone-shaped brass cartridge with a thick, rounded belt (there were also some earlier, coiled cases, sans belt) at its mouth and a small hole in the base that allowed ignition from a separate percussion cap. The round was loaded, base down, into the chamber. Next, the lever was closed and the block locked in place with the belt halfway between the chamber and barrel, providing an excellent seal.

After the carbine was fired, the lever was again lowered and the spent case easily removed from the block with one’s fingers. If extraction became difficult, it was possible to pull it out with the base of the next cartridge. After the soldier got the hang of it, a Burnside could easily be fired in excess of a dozen rounds a minute.

The Burnside Carbine (there were rifles, too) went through a considerable evolutionary process and provides a fertile area for the collector. About 300 First Models were produced by the Bristol Firearm Co. in Bristol, R.I., a manufacturer founded by Burnside himself. It was a .54 caliber with an overall length of 40 inches. First Models had no fore-stock and incorporated a unique side lever, which operated a tape primer and also locked the breech block in the open position. The carbine’s frame was case-hardened, and the barrel was blued.

Second Models did away with the side lever and tape primer, though they still had no fore-stock. Premier Second Models were made by the Bristol Firearm Co., though later ones were produced by the reorganized Burnside Rifle Co., in Providence, R.I. The Third Model, fitted with a fore-stock, was introduced in 1861 at the request of the U.S. Ordnance Dept.

A Fourth, and final, variant appeared toward the end of the Civil War. It had a double pivoting breech block to make the gun easier to open and close. Later on, a second type of Fourth Model (sometimes called “Fifth Model”) appeared with a screw in the right side of the action to prevent the block from dropping out of the action, thus speeding up loading. These guns will be seen with both blued and case-hardened frames. Markings on most Fourth Models are, “BURNSIDE’S PATENT/MODEL OF 1864,” though there are some examples with the earlier 1856 date. Also, deliveries of this model started in 1863, even though they had the 1864 markings.

Because they were made in large quantities and appeared toward the end of the Civil War, Fourth/Fifth Model Burnside Carbines are the least valuable of the various versions. Not too steep a price for one of the most important cavalry arms of one of America’s most important conflicts.

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