Burnside Carbine Serial Number

Hog Sniper

Cadet
Joined
Feb 7, 2019
Hello. First post here after trying to research a Burnside Carbine that I just picked up. I live near Gettysburg Pennsylvania and would love to know the history of this carbine. From what I can see it appears to be a 5th generation with the serial number of 5863. Could anyone point me in the right direction to research this gun further... this is a neat forum and I've already spent hours on here just browsing. Thanks in advance. Gary
 
Welcome! I'd love to see photos of your acquisition! Be sure and join in our discussions: new perspectives are always appreciated! Enjoy!
 
Thank you everyone I'll try to get some pictures posted this evening. It's old gnarly and kind of beat up but I love it. It came out of a house in the Baltimore area but I'd love to link it to Gettysburg somehow
 
I have a 2nd Model and a 4th. The 4th is numbered 7289. I have the book Old Pete got for his Dad (wish one of my kids would do that for me). Your SSN is postulated to being the 4th model range. Third model ends around 4100 and 5th model is maybe 11,400. H
 
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I have a 2nd Model and a 4th. The 4th is numbered 7289. I have the book Old Pete got for his Dad (wish one of my kids would do that for me). Your SSN is postulated to being the 4th model range. Third model ends around 4100 and 5th model is maybe 11,400. H
Not sure about your numbers. Mine is 16,121, and it's a 4th/5th model, Date stamped 1864.
 
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Russdustus, (love that handle BTW)
I got my numbers from Edward Hull's Burnside Breechloadiing Carbines and Rifles. I hope this does not come across as snarky because that is not my intent. On page 86 the author states,"That the total number of 1519 Third Model carbines delivered approximates the total production is confirmed by a review of the serial numbers of surviving example. The serial numbers run sequential from the end of Second Model production. A low number of 2395 and a high number of 4091 has been observed, a spread of 1696. If the postulated transition number from the Second Model is 2300 and the transition point to the Fourth Model is postulated at about 4100, that would be a spread of 1,800." On page 92 he states, "In a survey of serial numbers, which are sequential from the Third Model, the lowest number is 4482 and the highest is 11321, a spread of 6,938. The transition point from the Third Model is postulated to be 4100; A Fifth
Model carbine with serial number 11534 has been observed making it likely that the transition point to the Fifth Model is about number
11,400;". Since I am as far from expert as one can get and still know what end has the bullets come out I based my numbers on the book. Anyway its a Burnside and I'm pleased as punch to have them. Anybody have better information I would like to read it and gladly take my portion of humble pie. Oh, and Opening Day is next thursday. H
 
Note that "Model of 1864"-marked guns started over with SN #1, according to Hull. Deliveries of those so marked guns began at the end of February 1864 and a little over 20,000 were delivered by late February 1865, according to Hull and McAulay.
 
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