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 a complete and original Smith's Patent Carbine in very good honest used condition, showing that it was well cared for. The case hardening has worn away on the receiver, as often seen, and there are some areas of peppering near the breech joint, particularly on the top strap. There is still some of the original bluing on the octagonal portion of the barrel, with the rest worn to a bright steel patina. This looks like a gun that saw moderate service during the war, which was then cleaned over the years.

It also looks to have had some screws replaced with brass examples, and there is a hex screw on the end of the trigger guard. Most likely some parts were no longer serviceable, and were replaced during the modern era. The fore stock looks to be an arsenal spare, while the butt stock is original, and missing some wood near the receiver era. We can also see where some of the metal was peened a bit to give it a tighter fit.

The distributor information is marked on the left upper receiver:

Below this, under the saddle ring bar, is the manufacture's abbreviated address marking:

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 relatively crisp and show signs of light wear. The carbine carries a five digit serial number of 18863 stamped on the underside of the barrel hinge on both the receiver and barrel side.

Mechanically, this carbine is sound with a tight action, strong springs, and breaks open correctly, though it can take some effort as the top strap sticks a bit on the locking stud. 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 fully functional, while the front sight has been replaced with a brass fabricated example.

The bore is in excellent condition, showing strong lands and grooves with a bright finish. It shows just a bit of wear from cleaning and use, but no oxidation or fouling that we can see. It looks to have seen only light use in firing, and was properly cleaned afterwards. The stock wood is in very good shape, with the fore stock in excellent condition, showing just a bit of wear. The butt stock shows more wear, especially near the receiver, where there is chipping and cracking present.

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.

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