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, such as the 3rd West Virginia, 7th and 11th Illinois, 1st Connecticut, 7th and 17th Pennsylvania, 6th and 9th Ohio, and 1st Massachusetts Regiments. 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 very good honest used condition, showing that it was well cared for. The case hardening has mostly worn away on the receiver, as often seen, and there are some areas of peppering, but no major rust or other issues. The finish on the barrel has been worn to a light gray patina, seen on much of the other metalwork. This looks like a gun that saw light service during the war, which was then cleaned over the years.

The distributor information is clearly marked on the left upper receiver:

To the left of this above 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 crisp and show little sign of wear. 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, as well as on the face of the barrel bushing under the barrel.

The screws are all still present and have intact slots, though some look to be more recent replacements, such as the hammer screw. Mechanically, this carbine is sound with a tight 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 fully functional, and the front sight has a lovely nickel silver blade.

The bore is in excellent condition, very possibly the best that we have ever seen! It is fully bright with crisp lands and grooves, and we can even still see the cutting marks in the grooves. There is just a bit of wear, and no oxidation or fouling we can see. It looks to have seen only light use in firing, and was properly cleaned afterwards. There is very little powder burn or pitting on the inside of the breech joint, which definitely indicates this as well.

The stocks are in very good condition, showing some wear from use such as dents, dings, scratches, and so forth. They also look to have been varnished long ago, which is still well retained, though definitely put on a bit to heavily. It shows some scratching in places, and has given the stock wood a love color.

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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