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AMERICAN MACHINE WORKS SMITH CARBINE MADE IN 1864

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This Smith carbine rates very good or better for condition, good lettering and numbers. A nice fit and color to the wood. The barrel, barrel band and spring have shifted to plum, but some small areas of original blue can still be observed. The receiver case hardening colors have toned down to a mottled darker gray. The trigger-guard and tang show some very thin rubbed blue. The butt plate is dark with some areas of light surface corrosion.

Both sights are in place and complete. The sling ring and bar are present. The left barrel flat at the breech shows a crisp L.F.R. barrel inspector stamp of Lafayette Rogers (or La Fayette Rogers: his parents were obviously admirers of the Frenchman and gave their son the full name, apparently including Gilbert Motier, but he managed to pare it down to something manageable.) The left wrist shows a crisp “JH” inspection stamp of John Hannis, nice and sharp. The wood in general has good edges and color with some handling marks and shallow scratches. One very slight tight hairline crack in the wood at the bottom left of the wrist. The bore is bright with strong rifling. A few small patches of corrosion near the breach. Mechanics are strong with a very slight wobble in the hinge when the action is closed.

The left receiver is stamped vertically, “MANUFACTURED BY / AMN. M’CH’N WKS. / SPRINGFIELD, MASS.” under the front of the sling ring bar. At upper right rear is, “ADDRESS / POULTNEY & TRIMBLE / BALTIMORE U.S.A.”. Below that, partly under the rear of the sling ring “SMITH’S PATENT / JUNE 23, 1857”. The serial number 2035 is sharp and on both elements of the hinge on the underside.

Smith serial numbers have yet to be fully straightened out. Deliveries to the government by Poultney and Trimble, acting as agents for the inventor, are documented by date and quantity. Serial numbers, however, seem to have been duplicated between models, the first type, with sling swivels and the second, with conventional carbine sling ring and bar, and among three manufacturers as well. There seems to be some clarity, however, with those made by the American Machine Works. An October 1863 Springfield newspaper article mentions the company had subcontracted with the Massachusetts Arms Company for 5,000 of the carbines, and then for another 12,000. John Hamilton in 2006 noted that payment entries on the Mass Arms Company books for the American Machine Works only run from February to October 1864, dating those carbines to that year. Given the low serial number of this one, it looks like it fell under the first agreement and was likely made sometime in early 1864, giving it a good chance for active service in some of the major campaigns.

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, selling the government some 31,002 from January 1862 to June 1865, with some 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 it. This one would be a nice addition to a cavalry or general carbine collection, but also one showing variations of the Smith. [stp][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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