Invented by South Carolinian Mahlon J. Gallager, these carbines were widely used by northern cavalry in the Civil War with manufacturer Richardson and Overman delivering 17,728 percussion carbines on government purchases and contracts from August 1861 to December 1864, and an additional 5,000 rimfire carbines, like this one, on a March 1865 contract, chambered for the Spencer metallic cartridge .56-.52 round, delivered from May to the beginning of June 1865. The carbine is single-shot, loaded at the breech by pushing forward the triggerguard/lever to push the barrel forward and raise the breech for loading, which was easy, though extractor was provided, making reloading a bit more difficult. The carbine is iron mounted, provided with a patch box in the buttstock and does not use a forestock. The barrel was blued and mounts an iron blade front side and v-notch or folding leaf rear sight. The receiver was case hardened. A sling bar and ring is mounted on the left side.

The lockplate is marked in two places behind the hammer: closest to the hammer in three lines, “MANUFACTURED BY / RICHARD & OVERMAN / PHILADA,” with the serial number “23506” just beneath. At rear of the plate is the patent stamp in two lines, reading: “Gallager’s Patent / July 17^th 1860.” The serial number exceeds the total government purchases of 22,728, but private sales and carbines rejected in the inspection process will extend the serial number ranges and this one bears on the left wrist the crisp “WHB” inspector cartouche of William H. Barber, who worked at the Springfield Armory and during the Civil War was an inspector of contract arms.

Both sights are in place and complete. The fit of wood to metal is tight and the metal is smooth overall. The barrel has nice, full coverage of blue that extends, with some thinning, onto the receiver tang. We see just a couple of brown dots coming up through the blue. The rear sight has shifted to brown. The receiver is a mottled gray and dark gray with a little corrosion evident just forward of the hammer, but very clear lock markings. The underside shows blue, though thinning from handling. The wood shows good color and grain. There are some small handling marks and a shallow scrape at the beginning of the comb on the left. The patch box shows some freckling a little crustiness at the back, but has a good fit and thin blue. The side bar and sling ring are in place. The cartouche is crisp.

The mechanics are good and the bore is minty clean. This would be a nice companion to a percussion version and shows the army’s determination to adopt metallic cartridge arms as a result of its wartime experience.  [sr] [ph:L]

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