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 well patinated condition, looking to have seen a good amount of use during the war, and possibly afterwards. The original finish on the metalwork is worn away, replaced by a mottled patina, and there are areas of past peppering and pitting, now removed. It definitely has the look of a carbine that was exposed to the elements while in service, and may not have been properly cleaned at times.

The distributor information is marked on the left upper receiver, which is somewhat faint due to wear and oxidation:

To the left of this above the saddle ring bar, is the manufacture's abbreviated address marking, which is a bit faint, with the left side partly worn away:

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 show wear from oxidation an subsequent cleaning. 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 (faint), as well as on the face of the barrel bushing under the barrel. These are also worn by oxidation and powder fouling from the breech.

The screws are mostly still present and have intact slots, though some are definitely a bit worn and damaged from use. The cap bolster cleanout screw is missing, and it looks like someone tried to drill it out long ago, but was not successful. Mechanically, this carbine is sound with a a bit of wobble in the 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 intact, however the slider is stuck at the top, while the front sight blade has been replaced with a brass fabricated example.

The bore is in very good condition, showing clear lands and grooves with a partly bright finish. There is definitely some past oxidation and fouling from use, so the carbine definitely saw a good amount of use during the war, and was probably not properly cleaned during this period. The breech joint shows a good amount of powder burn and oxidation, which confirms this.

The stocks are in good condition, showing the expected dents, dings, and other wear from long service. The fore stock has some staining from oxidation running off the metalwork, and is a bit worn on the bottom, though we cannot see any repairs or cracks. The butt stock has a lovely color and shows less denting, however there is a wood filler repair on the top next to the receiver, and also some hairline cracks along the grain through the wrist, which have not been repaired. We can see two worn "boxed" cartouches on the left side, which we are not able to read.

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.

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.