US M1847 Carbine

[kBob]

Saw this on a gun show table in Ocala Florida

Tag IDed it as US M1847 and stated only 5700 built.

Well it confused me as it was rifled and had these three leaf sights (1 fixed and two old up) also it has a chain to retain the am rod rather than a double hinge.

Turns out that while 5700 basic carbines were built that only 356 of them got all these features. Further 100 of those were selected for conversion to breech loading via a Merrill breech. So this is one of only 256 that remained in this condition.

This is why I like small fun shows folks. How else will I ever get to handle a pre ACW carbine that there were only 256 of 166 years ago?

-kBob

 

[kBob]

top view showing sights and tang date


and yes that is one of the nicer Hall Breech loaders I have seen Above the full length picture above the M1847 Rifled Carbine.

Took a few pictures of that.

-kBob

 

[kBob]

Think the swivel bar is long enough?

The 5700 guns also included some made up as Artillery Musketoons and some as Miner’s and Sapper’s (Engineers) Musketoons

These Musketoons had “iron” bands rather than brass, no retaining chain on the ramrod, a smoothbore barrel, Barrel 1/16 inch shorter, no rear sight, and a bayonet stud welded on for a socket bayonet.

The .69 caliber Smooth bore replaced the US Dragoons’ Hall Breech loading carbines and were loathed by the troops.

It appears the rifled and sighted models used the standard 730 grain US .69 Minie bullet over 70 grains of musket powder (between ffg and Fg) paper cartridges. (Ow!)

-kBob