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. It no longer has a manufacturer stamp, as it looks to have worn away.

This is a rare Civil War era example a complete and original Smith's Patent Carbine in nice solid condition with signs of age and use. The distributor information is marked on the left upper receiver:

Below this is the Patent marking and date:

The Carbine also carries a four digit serial number of 1846 stamped on the underside of the barrel hinge. It is quite faint, so we may not have the first number correct. This normally would be stamped on both halves of the frame at the hinge, as well as under the breech, but the large amount of use and cleaning this example has seen unfortunately has removed the other markings. The underside of the barrel under the stock is marked with assembly number 124.

This carbine looks to have seen extensive use during the war, and possibly after. There is a lot of powder burn and fouling around and in the breech area, and the barrel is quite dark on the inside, with the rifling barely visible. The metalwork has a grayish patina, with areas of past pitting, and a lot of cleaning done in the past. Both of the sling swivels are still present and in very good condition. The stock wood has been well cared for, and possibly arsenal reconditioned. Unlike the metalwork, both the fore and butt stock are in great shape.

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. 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. This beautiful and rare Smith's Patent Carbine is chambered in caliber .50. The condition is "good" for the age and for the Civil War period of its birth.

Mechanically, this carbine is sound with a tight action, strong springs, and all original components (in our opinion). 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

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