Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely example of the scarce U.S. Civil War Gwyn & Campbell Type II saddle-ring carbine, also known as the “Union Rifle” and commonly nicknamed the “Grapevine Carbine” because of the distinctive curves of its operating lever and long hammer. This example appears to have seen relatively light use and is especially desirable for its fully matching serial numbers, excellent bore, strong mechanical condition, and unusually fine inspector-cartouched walnut stock.

The .52-caliber Gwyn & Campbell was a single-shot percussion breech-loading carbine developed for mounted troops and manufactured in Hamilton, Ohio. Approximately 8,200 Type I and Type II carbines were produced under a series of U.S. Government contracts during the Civil War, with roughly 4,200 examples manufactured in the more commonly encountered Type II configuration.

Gwyn & Campbell carbines were issued to a number of Federal cavalry regiments, including the 3rd Wisconsin, 2nd and 3rd Iowa, 2nd and 3rd Arkansas, 5th and 8th Ohio, and the 5th, 6th, and 16th Illinois, along with other Union cavalry units. No specific unit association has been established for this particular carbine.

The Type II represented a refinement of the earlier Type I design. The Type I had a more dramatically serpentine operating lever and lock screws entering from the right side of the lock plate. The Type II retained the distinctive curved appearance but used a somewhat simplified arrangement.

The operating lever locks into a short claw-shaped catch positioned inside the lower portion of the lever loop. Pressing this catch rearward releases the lever and allows the breech to open for loading.

The carbine has a 20-inch round barrel with an approximately 3 1/2-inch octagonal section at the breech. It uses a single-shot falling-block action combined with a conventional side-mounted percussion lock. A combustible paper or linen cartridge was inserted through the opened breech, while a percussion cap was placed on the external nipple to ignite the charge.

The lock plate is marked:

GWYN & CAMPBELL
PATENT
1862
HAMILTON, O.

The first two lines remain clear, while the lower lines are considerably fainter due to the earlier resurfacing and refinishing of the metal.

The side of the receiver beneath the nipple area is lightly marked:

UNION
RIFLE

The opposite side retains the original saddle-ring bar and ring, which allowed the carbine to be secured to a cavalry sling while the soldier was mounted.

Serial number: 4449, is clearly stamped on the underside of the barrel, receiver, breech plug, and operating lever. The matching numbers are a particularly desirable feature and indicate that the principal components have remained together.

The iron surfaces show evidence of oxidation, peppering, and light pitting that were cleaned and carefully refinished at some point. The restoration was tastefully performed and closely resembles the carbine’s original appearance, although close inspection reveals the earlier pitting and slight softening of some markings caused by resurfacing before the new finish was applied.

The walnut buttstock is in excellent overall condition, with an attractive varnished finish and only a few scattered dents, dings, and handling marks. It is considerably better preserved than the stocks normally encountered on Civil War cavalry carbines.

A clear boxed inspector’s cartouche is present on the left side of the stock: WHR. This marking is most likely associated with U.S. Ordnance inspector William H. Russell, who inspected military arms during the 1862–1863 period.

Mechanically, the carbine functions extremely well. The operating lever opens and closes easily and snaps securely into its retaining catch. The percussion lock holds correctly at half-cock and releases properly from full-cock.

The percussion nipple appears original and remains in very good condition.

The bore is exceptional for a Civil War cavalry carbine. It retains a bright finish with crisp, clearly defined lands and grooves for its entire length. There are only minor traces of old fouling and oxidation, suggesting that the carbine saw relatively light use and was well cared for during its working life.

The Gwyn & Campbell is one of the more distinctive Federal cavalry carbines of the Civil War. Its unusual lever, long hammer, exposed percussion lock, falling breech, and prominent saddle ring give it an immediately recognizable appearance.

This example’s fully matching numbered components, excellent stock, clear WHR inspector’s cartouche, strong action, and outstanding bore make it considerably more appealing than the heavily worn and mechanically tired examples usually encountered.

A very attractive restored example of the scarce Gwyn & Campbell Type II “Union Rifle,” retaining the matching components, excellent stock, strong mechanics, and exceptional bore collectors look for in a desirable U.S. Civil War cavalry carbine.

Specifications:
Manufacturer: Gwyn & Campbell
Place of Manufacture: Hamilton, Ohio
Model: Type II “Union Rifle” Saddle-Ring Carbine
Serial Number: 4449
Year of Manufacture: Circa 1862–1863
Caliber: .52
Ammunition Type: Combustible Paper or Linen Cartridge with Percussion Cap
Barrel Length: 20"
Overall Length: 39"
Action: Single-Shot Falling-Block with Side-Action Percussion Lock
Furniture: Iron
Stock: Walnut
Mechanical Condition: Fully Functional
Bore Condition: Excellent, Bright with Crisp Lands and Grooves

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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.

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