Original Item: Only One Available. This Burnside Cavalry "Saddle-Ring" Carbine in .54 caliber is offered in very nice "relic" condition, having been well used and somewhat abused during service. There are some replaced parts, and it shows signs of long service, possibly after the war, giving it a patina that is impossible to duplicate. It may be possible that a very motivated restorer could return it to its former glory, but we felt leaving all of the history intact was more important. It was given a light cleaning and oiling, but no major repair or restoration was performed.

It is marked on the frame and breech block with serial number 12371, which is in the early portion of wartime production. The marking on the loading lever is no longer visible, and we were not able to get off the forestock to check the number there. Springfield Research records indicate serial numbers in this range were being delivered sometime during 1863, however there are no blocks of serial numbers we can find that would indicate which unit it was sent to.

This example, known as the "Fifth Model" or model of 1864, is in service used condition, with worn wood stocks and an intact saddle ring. The top of the frame is correctly marked:

The marking on the lock plate is still fully legible, a rarity:

Additionally, it is marked CAST STEEL 186[2]. on the barrel in front of the sight.

Overall metalwork is well patinated, with light pitting in areas, and an overall aged look. You can see that the breech block axis pin is a fabricated replacement. The wood stocks show quite a bit of wear, with a "wind worn" look to the butt stock, which also has some cracks as well as a repair by the upper receiver tang. The fore stock has some gouges and chips, as well as cracks towards the nose.

The action still cycles correctly, and locks when the breech is closed. Also unlike many we see, the small bolt on the right side of the receiver still interfaces with the breech block, preventing it from swiveling incorrectly when open. The lock still cocks and dry fires, though the action is a bit sloppy.

A very nice "relic" example of a Burnside Carbine, ready to restore, or display as is!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: c.1863
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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