A Superb Case Hardened Steel Gun Lock Of a Greene Carbine 1856 For the Crimean War Then the American Civil War

Scarce British-Type Greene Carbine by Massachusetts Arms Company
Case-hardened swivel breech action with Maynard tape primer system. Lock marked: Queen's crown /VR/Mass.Arms Co./U.S.A./1856.

James Durell Greene was a prolific firearms inventor and determined to make his mark This carbine lock was manufactured by the Massachusetts Arms Company and exported to Great Britain after being inspected and stamped with the Queen's Crown by British inspectors in the USA. These were used by the British Cavalry in the Crimean War but re-exported to the USA after the Crimea War. These fine guns were deemed to be very accurate but the paper and linen cartridges of the time were criticised as being prone to swell in the damp and consequently the carbine did not find favour with the British Government. The carbine features an unusual "floating thimble" to obdurate the breech and an internal "pricker" that punctured the cartridge. It also featured Maynard Tape priming which was in the forefront of priming technology at the time and the mechanism for this is in perfect condition. The quality of workmanship is exceptional and it actions as crisply today as it did when it was made 158 years ago.
An exceptional item in outstanding condition. Only 2000 were manufactured and a complete carbine sold at Rock Island auction for $6,900 in 2021

Code: 24920