Original U.S. Civil War Fifth Model 1864 Burnside Saddle Ring Cavalry Carbine - Serial 39311

Original Item: Only One Available. This Burnside Cavalry Carbine in .54 caliber is offered in very good service used condition, having been lightly cleaned and restored by our antique gunsmiths. It is marked on the frame with serial number 39311, which is a bit past halfway through the wartime production. We were not able to find any blocks of serial numbers that this carbine might have been a part of. The breech block is marked with non-matching serial number 17528, while the breech block link is marked 4886, and the barrel is marked with both 3536 and 6185, so this carbine definitely looks to have been arsenal reconditioned, where parts were swapped.

This example, known as the "Fifth Model" or model of 1864, is in very good service used condition, with very nice "broken in" wood stocks and an intact saddle ring. It does not show any real signs of restoration, so it is a nice honest used example, worn from long service and repeated cleanings, which have made many of the markings faint. The Burnside was one of several "capping breech loader" designs utilized by the Union Army during the war. The top of the frame is correctly marked (worn away on the right):

BURNSIDE PATE[NT.]
MARCH 25TH 18[56.]

The marking on the lock plate is still fully legible, with only light wear.

BURNSIDE RIFLE CO
PROVIDENCE R.I.

The CAST-STEEL 1862 marking in front of the sight still mostly legible, a real rarity on these guns, as they were often mis-struck at the factory. The metalwork shows a worn mottled patina, with some areas of peppering, but no major rust issues. The inside of the action is in similar condition, and the metalwork overall looks to have seen long use and meaning cleanings.

The stocks show wear and tear consistent with service during a war. There are dents and dings as well as a few small chunks missing, especially on the butt stock which looks to have suffered more wear, probably due to contact with the horses tack. We checked the stocks, and we were not able to see any inspection cartouches. The saddle bar and ring are in good shape, with no cracks or major damage visible, though the ring may be a replacement. There is also still the original rear sling swivel present on the bottom of the butt stock.

The bore is in very good condition, showing the original 5 grooves rifling clearly, and the finish is bright from being cleaned and well cared for. There is evidence of past fouling and oxidation that has been cleaned away, typical for a "capping" breech loader from the days of black powder, even with the best maintenance. The action cycles correctly, with a fully functional lock and tight mechanics, though the trigger pull is definitely a bit heavy. The small "guide screw" on the right side of the frame that allows the breech block more easily stay in place for reloading is still present on this example as well.

A very nice patinated example of a Fifth Model Burnside Carbine, ready to research and display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: c.1864
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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