Original U.S. Civil War Smith's 1857 Patent Saddle Ring Carbine by Massachusetts Arms Co. - Serial 19270

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 of 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 mostly worn away on the receiver, as often seen, and there are some areas of peppering on the sides of the barrel along the wood line. The finish on the barrel has been worn to a light gray patina, seen on much of the other metalwork. This looks like a gun that saw light to moderate service during the war, which was then cleaned over the years.

The distributor information is clearly marked on the left upper receiver:

ADDRESS
POULTNEY & TRIMBLE
BALTIMORE. U.S.A.

To the left of this above the saddle ring bar, is the manufacture's abbreviated address marking:

MANUFACTURED BY
MASS. ARMS CO.
CHICOPEE FALLS.

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 19270 stamped on the underside of the barrel hinge on both the receiver and barrel side, as well as on the face of the barrel bushing under the barrel.

The screws are all still present and have intact slots, though some look to be more recent replacements, such as the hammer screw. We can also see where some of the metal was peened a bit to give it a tighter fit for the latch on the top of the action. Mechanically, this carbine is sound with a tight action, strong springs, and breaks open correctly. The lock functions correctly, holding at half cock and firing at full, and has a strong mainspring. The saddle ring is still intact, retained by the saddle bar on the right hand side. The rear sight is present and fully functional, while the front sight blade has been replaced with a brass fabricated example.

The bore is in excellent condition, showing strong lands and grooves with a bright finish. It shows just a bit of wear from cleaning and use, but no oxidation or fouling that we can see. It looks to have seen only light use in firing, and was properly cleaned afterwards. There is very little powder burn or pitting on the inside of the breech joint, which definitely indicates this as well.

The stocks are in good condition, showing some past wear and chipping on the fore stock, particularly next to the receiver. The butt stock is in better condition, though we can see that there was some repair work done at the top where it meets the receiver in the past. Both have the lovely red-brown color of aged and oiled American black walnut.

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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