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SMITH CAVALRY CARBINE BY THE MASS. ARMS COMPANY

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This Smith carbine has lots of original blue on the barrel and some good case color on the left frame with crisp markings:  “MANUFACTURED BY / MASS. ARMS CO / CHICOPEE FALLS. ” forward, and “ADDRESS / POULTNEY & TRIMBLE / BALTIMORE U.S.A.” at upper rear, with “SMITH’S PATENT / JUNE 23, 1857” partially behind the sling ring bar. Both sights are in place. The barrel band has shifted to plum. The breech collar next to the forestock shows a muted blue shifting toward plum. The wrist collar shows rubbing on the right and some dusty raised rust, as does the left of the hammer, which should clean. The right side of the receiver shows a caramel brown with some traces of bluish-gray case between the hammer and bolster. The top spring has freckling forward, but some good luminous blue at the rear. Sling ring and bar are present. The bar shows silver gray with some pitting. The triggerguard bow has some traces of blue amid some freckling. The lower tang shows some rubbing from handling, but with thin blue toward the back. The hinge and breech block on the underside are shifting to plum. The serial numbers are good and match: 19798. The buttplate is largely plum, though with some hints of color. The bore had good rifling and is clean, though showing pitting throughout. The action is good, but a bit stiff.

The wood has good color, a tight fit, and good edges. The forestock has some darker color at the nose and some small dings on the underside below the barrel band, and one small divot midway back on the left. The buttstock shows more marks. There are some small dings and scratches on the left, with three deeper curved scratches near the buttplate. The right has minor handling marks. The top shows a deep “I” and “V” (with a small round depression on the upper left) near the buttplate tang. It is unclear if these were accidental or an attempt to add a Roman numeral rack number. The left wrist shows a small “G.P.” inspection stamp attributed to George Palmer by Daum and Pate and noted by them on the wrist of another Smith. Palmer is recorded as working at the Springfield Armory and having assignments at the Remington and Rogers and Spencer plants as well. The 1865 census lists him as an “inspector.”

The Smith was among the top four cavalry carbines procured by the U.S. government and saw extensive service in the war. Patented by a New York physician in 1855 (with some additions in 1856 and 1857,) the .50 caliber carbine is hinged in the middle, exposing the breech for insertion of a rubber case or paper and foil cartridge pierced at the bottom for ignition by a standard percussion cap. Poultney and Trimble of Baltimore acted as agents on commission, with three different manufacturers known, selling the government some 31,002 from January 1862 to June 1865, and with others sold on the commercial market through military goods dealers such at Schuyler, Hartley and Graham. Flayderman lists the 3^rd WV, 7^th and 11^th Illinois, 1^st CT, 7^th and 17^th PA, 6^th and 9^th Ohio, and the 1^st Mass. as among the cavalry regiments carrying them. [sr] [ph:L]

DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire.

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