Inherited .50-70 Carbine Jun'21

[Corporal]

Hello, all. I am trying to get any other info on this Carbine. It's a 20" barrel, 22" muzzle to breach. "B" on left side of barrel. Last patent on tang is 1871. Hammer does not fall to half-cock when breach closes. Barrel diameter is .50 or really close to that (+.003 to -.007), I plan to cast the chamber to be certain it is .50-70, but chamber appears too long (1 3/4"-ish) for a cadet chamber. No foreign stamps I can find. Stock has stamped on the toe, top of numbers toward butt-plate, top line '44', second line '0' in 3/8" tall numbers. Hammer and rolling block have matching shields instead of criss-cross etching. Hammer is high profile vertical, rolling block handle sweeps right. There is no screw in the rolling block (implies not type 2). Rear site frame doesn't match any rear site photos I've seen, but patina appears uniform to the barrel. Folding site in the rear site frame is like others I have seen in photos. Saddle ring. When stock removed, number stamped into metal underneath is 21436. Has a couple notches gouged with what appears a knife-edge in the butt stock just after the metal ends. These notches do not appear recently added. All black finish now ~70% patina. No case hardening evident. No rust evident. She appears mechanically sound. Rifling is pronounced. Perhaps good to very good overall. See photos, sorry one is blurred a bit. I'd appreciate any info, or a referral on how I can find more info.

[oldremguy]

Hello Corporal,

Your carbine looks to be the New York State model. They were chambered in 50-70, the hammer should fell to the safety position when the breech block is closed. If the hammer doesn’t there could be some worn parts on the gun. I have some photos on file that show what the internal springs should look like. I will see if I can find them and post them later on. The rear sight is not original to that carbine, it looks to be off a 1873 Springfield trapdoor rifle.

Have a Good Day,
Matt

[oldremguy]

Here are some photos of the springs that are found on the inside of the trigger guard of the Model New York State rifles and carbines. Also attached is a photo of the two different rear sights found on the carbines.

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Have a Good Day,
Matt

[Corporal]

Thanks Matt!

Turns out, I didn't know what I was looking for on the block safety. This carbine does actually have a functional safety feature. I was looking for the hammer to dramatically fall close to the rolling block, but the hammer moves subtly to safety with a not-so-subtle KA-LICK when the rolling block is fully opened. Appreciate the internals and thank you for that as well.

Mission accomplished, sir. The kid in me thought I just might have had one of the 331 unicorn Army test carbines (with wrong hammer and rolling block)...Why couldn't I win the lottery?? But, no. I have living history from around 17,000 NY Militia rifles from around 1872. Not quite all-original with the 1873 Springfield rear site, and the ghost scar left from the HGH cartouche on the left wrist is now explained. It all tells an interesting story, but not a valuable-resale story. Really cool to me, though.

Corporal

[Dick Hosmer]

I feel your pain about it not being the Springfield-made trials gun, but we are not alone in our misery - there are only about 5 or 6 known! Which is better than the Sharps, of which ZERO are known to exist. I have all four of the rifles from the 1870 Trials, and two of the carbines - the Allin (not YET the "Model 1870" Springfield) and the Ward-Burton. Have pretty well given up at this point.

[ehull]

The rear sight is a Dexter Patent, authorized for use by the state about 1878 in an effort to improve the accuracy of long range shooting. The original small rear sight was totally inadequate.