Looking for a 1820-30's Cavalry CARBINE

[Bullmoose]

Needing a early military style carbine for a 1820-30's
Are they flintlocks or cap and ball?
Also they are most likely a smooth bore?
Are they nothing more than a short Harpers Ferry?

Any reasonable makers out there?

 

[David Teague]

If your talking the US Dragoons... here ya go.

The US Model 1833 Hall carbine made by S. North in Middletown, Connecticut was the first breech-loading rifle to be used in the United States mounted service. It was a smooth bore weapon and was a .58-caliber. The barrel is 26.125 inches in length, and all metal parts were browned with a lacquer finish for protection. Made specifically to arm the Regiment of Dragoons authorized in 1833, it was fitted with a sliding bayonet.

In 1836 Hall, at Harpers Ferry, brought out a somewhat heavier carbine that was made up with rifle components. Also a percussion arm, it had the rifle’s offset sights that have misled many into considering the arm a conversion from an original flint lock carbine. Barrel length is 23 inches long, with a rod-bayonet.

Beginning in 1840, Simeon North delivered Model 1840 carbines, which are characterized by an improved opening device (either an elbow lever or fishtail lever), and a 21-inch barrel with a conventional rod, which was used for cleaning the bore. In 1843 North brought out the most common of the Hall models, the Model 1843 side-lever carbine, still with the 21-inch barrel and rod.

To complete the tally, there is a Model 1842 carbine made at Harpers Ferry which can be recognized by its brass fittings; butt plate, trigger guard, and barrel bands. It had a fishtail opening lever similar to North’s Model 1840 fishtail-lever arm. All carbines were delivered to the government as smoothbore weapons; later, during the Civil War, many carbines of all models were rifled.

BreechLoading and Firing - Characteristic of all Hall breechloaders is the moveable receiver, which is pivoted at its rear and is elevated for loading. The receiver is in effect a short-barreled muzzle-loading pistol. It is charged by inserting the power from either a flask or a paper cartridge, and placing a round ball above the powder, pushing it into place with the thumb. The receiver is then pushed down, and locked into alignment with the barrel. After priming, the piece is ready to fire.

To prime the piece, one would use a percussion cap, the percussion cap was like a small top cap with an explosive inside called fulminate of mercury. The cap was placed on the nipple of the gun, and when the trigger was pulled, the hammer would strike the cap. This action would cause the explosive inside the cap to go off, which would create a spark. The spark would go through the venthole and ignite the blackpowder in the barrel.

The Halls' carbine has a couple of flaws. One was that it in the rigors of battle, it experienced mechanical failure. Another is that the breech of the gun had a gap that tended to widen over time, causing smoke to pour out the rear of the gun.. So in 1847, the army went to the musketoon, a muzzle loader-like the infantry's musket-but was still a percussion weapon with a shorter barrel-like the carbine.

There was a company inporting a Hall carbine in the mid to late 1970's... but I don't remember the name...The company was located(ok, it was jut a guy in his house...like Garrent Arms)Colorado Springs and he was a Military retiree... so unless he's still out there selling guns in his 80's... you might be able to track down one of the handful he sold.

Cheers,

DT