Original Item: One of a Kind. Here we have a fantastic Battlefield Captured Brunswick Two-Groove Rifle from the Battle of Chernaya, part of the Crimean War of October 1853 to March 1856. 

The outside of the patch box was engraved with a dedication after capture:

SOUVENIR DE TRAKTIR

16 AOUT 1855

CLERC À SON AMI PAILLARD

This translates to "Souvenir of Traktir, 16 August 1855, Clerc to his friend Paillard", a presentation dedication that could possibly be researched. 

The Battle of the Chernaya (also Tchernaïa; Russian: Сражение у Черной речки, Сражение у реки Черной, literally: Battle of the Black River) was fought at the Traktir Bridge on the Chernaya River during the Crimean War on August 16, 1855. The battle was fought between Russian, French, Piedmontese and Ottoman troops. The Chernaya River is on the outskirts of Sevastopol, near the line of the allies' siege of the city. In the battle, the Russians were the attacking side. It ended in a Russian retreat and a victory for the French, Piedmontese, and Ottomans.

The battle was a disaster for the Russians. Even with numerical superiority, the Russians had managed to lose the battle and suffer almost five times as many casualties as the Allies. Tsar Alexander had hoped for a Russian victory so that he could negotiate a peace with favorable terms. That hope was now lost. As a result of the slaughter that took place at the battle, the Russian soldiers had lost their trust in the Russian commanders and it was now only a question of time before the Russian army would be forced to surrender Sevastopol.

While one might assume this rifle would be British or German, the countries where the design originated, this example was used by the Russian Empire, and made under contract in Belgium. The design was solid, and one of the earliest percussion rifles widely available, so it was actually used by many other countries, including the Russian Empire. At the time, the Empire was still quite reliant on Imported firearms and designs, as it would be until the Mosin-Nagant Rifle was introduced in 1891.

This lovely short rifle has a lovely aged patina, with past peppered oxidation on much of the iron and steel metalwork, so it may have been laying out for a bit of time before it was captured, or maybe it was simply not possible to protect it. It measures just over 46 inches in overall length, with a 30 inch 0.69" caliber barrel. It still shows the two U-shaped inlets in the end of the barrel where the two-groove rifling starts, so this has not been shortened. The lock plate indicates that this Brunswick Two-Groove Rifle was made under contract to the Russian Empire in Liège, Belgium:

P.J. MALHERBE
A LIÈGE

This is a known maker from the period, who also made many guns under contract to various German states, which were then very often imported for use in the U.S. Civil War. There is also some type of marking or cartouche towards the tail of the lock plate, which we were not able to identify. There are also some proof marks on the breech end of the barrel. The brass butt plate of the rifle bears an intricate CROWN over the Russian Imperrial DOUBLE HEADED EAGLE, which is definitely executed with a high level of artistry. Next to this is № 725, which looks to be the serial or rack number of the rifle. This number is also marked on the cap nipple cone bolster, on the brass end of the ramrod, and on the leaf of the rear sight, which is a very advanced design for the time.

The back of the wrist has a brass escutcheon, which is marked with another CROWN marking, and under this is what looks to be H / 1, or possibly some cyrillic letter, and we believe this is most likely the company designation of the rifle. There are additional small single letter proofs on various components, typical for guns produced in Belgium during the mid 19th century. The inside of the brass patch box looks to be marked with 6881, which is probably from when these were cast in bulk.

Overall condition is very nice, with a great aged patina and no signs of major restoration. The rear sight is fully functional, as is the lock, which holds correctly at half cock, firing at full. Both sling swivels are still present, and the brass tipped ramrod is stored under the barrel. The large brass end can actually be unthreaded from the front, and smaller end is also brass tipped, with what looks like an area where a tool could be installed, however it is clogged with dirt and rust.

A great piece of history from the Crimean War, ready to research and display!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1850
Caliber: about .69" with two-groove rifling
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 30 inches
Overall Length: 46 1/4 inches
Action: Side Action Percussion Lock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.