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SCARCE CONFEDERATE USED, C.S. ORDNANCE “CLEANED AND REPAIRED” BURNSIDE THIRD MODEL CARBINE

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Third Model Burnside carbines are scarce in themselves with only about 1,520 produced, with 800 going directly to the U.S. government and another 720 going to it indirectly through Schuyler, Hartley and Graham, all from June to November 1862, spread from about #2300 in the transition from the Second Model to about #4100 in the switch to the Fourth Model. On top of that rarity, this one was captured or collected by Confederate forces and passed through the C.S. Ordnance cleaning and repair system for re-issue to southern troops. The underside of the stock forward of the triggerguard is struck with a “Z,” one of the single letter Confederate Ordnance inspector marks cataloged in Knot’s ground-breaking “Captured and Collected” Confederate Reissued Firearms. These marks were at first postulated to be actual initials of CS inspectors, though is no longer the case, with the list growing to include an ampersand (&,) indicating inspectors more likely simply selected a particular stamp. On rifles and rifle muskets these marks usually appear in front of the triggerguard tang. On carbines they appear to its rear, as Knot illustrates on a Fifth Model Burnside pictured on pages 74-75.

Estimates on the number of firearms passing through the Confederate C & R (“Cleaning and Repair”) system run as high as 200,000 gathered by ordnance teams and civilians and another 50,000 turned in by C.S. units. Most of these guns came from eastern battlefields that Confederate victories left accessible, and the repair work was concentrated at facilities at Danville, Staunton, Lynchburg, and Richmond. Knott notes that C&R breechloading carbines are uncommon, with lower casualties in cavalry engagements yielding fewer guns to capture, something evident in 1864 offers of $75 apiece for them to to civilian scavengers of battlefields.

The markings are legible: The front of the receiver is marked, “BURNSIDE PATENT / MARCH 25^th 1856.” This is rubbed in the middle of the two lines, but is unambiguous. Below that the final numeral of a serial number is visible: “1” and what seems to be a faint “9.”This corresponds to the serial number “2891” stamped on the top of the breechblock just aft of it, which has the “8” a tad light, but is completely visible. The rear of the lock plate is stamped “BURNSIDE RIFLE CO. / PROVIDENCE=R.I.” showing some softness to the stamping from corrosion at the right, but legible. As Flayderman notes for some of these, the breechblock latch is marked on the right side, “G.P. FOSTER’S PAT. / APRIL 10^th 1860.” in very clear lettering.

The barrel is smooth metal, brown in color, as is the barrel band. Front and rear sight are in place and complete. The carbine is fitted with both a swivel in the buttstock for a sling that would buckle around the barrel at its other end, and has a side bar and sling ring on the left of the receiver for a conventional carbine sling. The lockplate and tangs show brown, as does the buttplate. The top of the breechblock and sides of the receiver show more gray with some salt and pepper corrosion on the top of the block and heavier corrosion on the nipple. As is often the case with a Confederate used gun, this may be due in part to use of imported British high-pressure percussion caps, which had a more powerful spark. Overall, though, the metal is in good condition and we note the screws also show some color and little sign of turning or chewing up of the slots.

The wood shows heavy use, something also typical of Confederate weapons, which really need a condition grading scheme of their own. The color is generally deep brown with the wood solid with no large cracks, but there is no escaping numerous handling dings, rubs  and scratches overall on the buttstock, with some small chips along the lockplate and a small superficial crack to the finish on the lower right wrist between the lockplate and triggerguard tang about where the rear of triggerguard bow hits it, with some wear forward where one’s triggerfinger would rub it. Some of the scratches may hide some initials lightly scratched in, but we are unable to come to any agreement on that point. Suffice it to say, the carbine certainly saw active use. For all that, the action is fine and the bore has visible rifling, though with minor areas of scattered light peppering, though it could use a cleaning. We would not touch the rest of the gun, however. The signs of field service and use that might be considered blemishes on a federal weapon are more a sign of character on a Confederate gun, even if that is something of an acquired taste among collectors. This would make a good addition to a Confederate arms collection or, especially, to a Confederate cavalry collection, though as we noted, Third Model Burnsides are scarce in themselves.  [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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