Jenks Mule Ear Carbine-I think

[Fritz423]

Howdy, new to the forum but recently acquired some percussion rifles. I believe this is a Jenks. No information on where it was acquired. The color of the barrel is odd and makes me wonder if it was "cleaned" by someone. Also there are bands around the barrel and around the neck that seem strange. Complete rookie to antique firearms so any help is appreciated.

 

[Gene L]

Nice example, probably valuable, but it's a breech loader, and this is a muzzle loading forum.

 

[Fritz423]

Nice example, probably valuable, but it's a breech loader, and this is a muzzle loading forum.

Good golly I never thought about that. Verboten?

Edit: If this is not for this forum, mods please delete. My ignorance is my only excuse.

 

[Trot]

Perfectly fine to talk about here, as long as it is fired by a separate percussion cap as these were. Seems like a pretty decent carbine. These were originally made for the Navy and were used in the Mexican war. By strange bands do you mean the discolored area around the barrel and forearm? That looks like it spent many years hanging on gun hooks over a fireplace or something of the sort.

 

[Fritz423]

Perfectly fine to talk about here, as long as it is fired by a separate percussion cap as these were. Seems like a pretty decent carbine. These were originally made for the Navy and were used in the Mexican war. By strange bands do you mean the discolored area around the barrel and forearm? That looks like it spent many years hanging on gun hooks over a fireplace or something of the sort.

Possibly. Also the other Jenks I've researched had a brownish barrel (some kind of treatment?) and it looks like someone may have tried to remove it to "restore" this one.

 

[dave61965]

Here’s some photos of an original I took at the Chattanooga National Military Park

 

[Fritz423]

According to "Ian" on a rock island auction video the caliber was actually .52 but there was confusion in an original navy document. Anyone else know about this?

https://www.full30.com/video/ffd269729cde4c64d3c47f4bf506ed5f

 

[dave61965]

Collectors Firearms in Houston deals with a lot civil war items and may be able to help evaluate the rifle, i would assume that rifle is somewhat rare maybe, very nice piece, your very fortunate to have it.

 

[Zonie]

First, I should mention that although this is the Muzzleloading Forum, discussions about breech loading guns is permitted as long as the gun uses a separate percussion cap which is not part of a cartridge. This was done because forms of breechloading guns were made dating to the flintlock era. The Ferguson Rifle comes to mind.

According to Flayderman's Guide, 9th ed., the gun shown in the first set of photos is a Jenks Carbine.
A total of about 4250 of them were made. They were .54 caliber.
It should have a 24 1/4" long barrel if it hasn't been altered.

Jenks rifles were also made with a 35" long barrel in .54 caliber.

According to Flayderman's Guide, the carbine and rifle were the only Mule Ear (sidehammer ) type guns officially accepted by the U.S. armed forces.

 

[dd832]

Complete rookie to antique firearms so any help is appreciated.

Since you say you are a rookie to antiques you should be aware to not sand or refinish the wood or metal parts of the Jenks carbine, which includes not using steel wool on any parts. The brass parts should not be polished which removes the patina from the surface. Far too many antiques have been degraded or ruined by a knucklehead with a wire wheel or buffer making it "purty". We have to think of ourselves as caretakers of these pieces of history and to preserve them intact.

As Zonie has noted there weren't a lot of these carbines made and there isn't lots of info available about them. You're a lucky guy to have one in your possession.

The percussion lock is held in place in a unique manner: there is a standard wood screw at the bottom of the lockplate but the front of the lockplate is held on by the percussion nipple. Note the nipple has 2 notches for a special spanner to remove it as shown in this first photo; the second photo shows the nipple a little clearer (this Jenks model had a tape primer but uses the same nipple hold down).

See, no lockplate screw on the opposite side of the carbine:

Congratulations on your new acquisition! Mike

 

[Metalshaper]

Since you say you are a rookie to antiques you should be aware to not sand or refinish the wood or metal parts of the Jenks carbine, which includes not using steel wool on any parts. The brass parts should not be polished which removes the patina from the surface. Far too many antiques have been degraded or ruined by a knucklehead with a wire wheel or buffer making it "purty". We have to think of ourselves as caretakers of these pieces of history and to preserve them intact.

As Zonie has noted there weren't a lot of these carbines made and there isn't lots of info available about them. You're a lucky guy to have one in your possession.

The percussion lock is held in place in a unique manner: there is a standard wood screw at the bottom of the lockplate but the front of the lockplate is held on by the percussion nipple. Note the nipple has 2 notches for a special spanner to remove it as shown in this first photo; the second photo shows the nipple a little clearer (this Jenks model had a tape primer but uses the same nipple hold down).
View attachment 1127 View attachment 1128

See, no lockplate screw on the opposite side of the carbine:
View attachment 1129

Congratulations on your new acquisition! Mike

According to "Ian" on a rock island auction video the caliber was actually .52 but there was confusion in an original navy document. Anyone else know about this?

https://www.full30.com/video/ffd269729cde4c64d3c47f4bf506ed5f

the confusion is that the gun used the same ball as a standard .54 rifle, but in fact had a .52-.525 bore and the rifling itself was approximately .530. the chamber area is
in the neighborhood of .58-.59 I believe? This allowed the ball to be dropped in and seat against the start of the restriction near the front of the 'chamber area. The powder was poured in and the lever closed. I a perfect world, the breech sealed and the power was compressed and nudged the ball into starting to engage the "lead" of the rifling.
when fired the ball swaged into the bore and rifling. The military thought was since it shot the same ball, refer to it as a .54.

to make matters worse, some were produced as smooth bores and had various gauges/calibers associated with them.

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

 

[Fritz423]

These measurements maybe worthless but let me know. Per your request Jonathan.

 

[Fritz423]

Last few

 

[Metalshaper]

Fritz,

Thanks that was really helpful for the stock dimensions! I think it will help me do a little more extrapolation.. I appreciate your help

Respect Always
Metalshaper / Jonathan

 

[Fritz423]

Fritz,

Thanks that was really helpful for the stock dimensions! I think it will help me do a little more extrapolation.. I appreciate your help

Respect Always
Metalshaper / Jonathan

I'm glad that I could give back in a small way. The forum has been a huge help and I have passed on this source of information to the estate whose treasures I have custody of.

I would be remiss not to give credit to the man who collected these weapons, some of you may know him:

 

[BillinOregon]

What a wonderful carbine! First I have had a detailed look at the Jenks. Some of its features seem to foretell the Merrill.

 

[dd832]

What a wonderful carbine! First I have had a detailed look at the Jenks. Some of its features seem to foretell the Merrill.

There is a carbine called the Jenks-Merrill and it is even more scare than the Jenks. The Jenks carbine was modified by changing the lock to a standard side hammer, adding a bolster to the barrel and the catch for the breech is a Merrill type. The Horse Soldier website has one: http://www.horsesoldier.com/products/16393
Mike

 

[satwel]

Possibly. Also the other Jenks I've researched had a brownish barrel (some kind of treatment?) and it looks like someone may have tried to remove it to "restore" this one.

Some rifles, Model 1841s, Halls and Jenks, left the armory with a brown-tinted varnish applied to the barrel. My understanding is the Navy felt the varnish would help prevent corrosion to the Jenks barrel in salt water environments.

 

[Metalshaper]

Fritz,

Ok I'm gonna bug you again! any chance you have a set of calipers around? I'd appreciate the barrel dimensions ( maybe every 2" ) from the breech to muzzle if you can/would.. Please and thanks! ( your pics get me kinda close on the muzzle ) I'm working on laying out a template for the stock.. and have already gotten a .50 cal smooth barrel from Rice made.. I just need to know what diameter things are.. then I can get my blank cut and turned down..< barrel is gonna be reamed and rifled at .525>

Like I said, I've been working on a 'version' of my own.. but would like it to be reasonably close to the original in dimensions! Wish I could find some post war gun pics.. that showed if anyone cut/shortened the stocks fore arm and mod'd a front sight???

Respect Always
Metalshaper/Jonathan

 

[dd832]

Metalshaper,
Here are 2 photos from the August 1964 issue of The Gun Report (written by Andrew Lustyik), it is portion of a 6 part series about the Jenks carbine. The first photo shows the early & later carbine breeches with dimensions in the text. The second photo is a sketch of the breech dimensions, I though these might help since you are attempting to copy a Jenks. Note the early carbine hammer doesn't have the ear tab folded over like the later hammers. I have photos of the hammer also from an old auction from years ago that ONLY wanted $225 for the hammer (yikes). Good luck, Mike