Burnside Sporting Rifle...

[Private Watkins]

Most folks know about the venerable Burnside carbine, which was made in large numbers (55,000+) and was the third most widely used carbine of the war...

What I'm looking for though is any information any of you might have on the civilian Burnsides, specifically the Sporting Rifles with longer, heavier barrels. I've seen a couple offered in the last year or so at some of the big auction houses, and had no idea such pieces even existed.

Does anyone have any info at all on the history, production, dates, numbers, presentations, ownership, or other facts or tidbits about these...? Thanks!

Serial # 3:

Serial # 4:

 

[Jobe Holiday]

I believe these are examples of post Civil War gunsmith modifications.
J.

 

[Private Watkins]

Have been waiting for my copy of Burnside Breechloading Carbines and Rifles by Edward Hull to arrive, and the Big Brown truck just delivered it!

Here's what Mr. Hull has to say...

In the pre-Civil War period Burnside, Foster & Jackson certainly intended that the commercial market would help sustain their gun-making business, and that sportsmen would appreciate the convenience of a breechloading rifle using reloadable cartridges. Yet no advertising of Burnside's arms has been found earlier than an 1861 pamphlet. This pamphlet, apparently issued in early 1861, emphasizes the military configurations that were available. Only briefly does it mention that the company offers "...Burnside Sporting Rifles (weight 9, and 9-1/2 lbs) with 30 inch round or octagonal barrels, bore 32 and 70 round balls..."

Today, samples of the sporting rifles are very rare, and most are of the First and Second Model type - the era before mass production of the military carbines. It is likely that the Third, Fourth and Fifth Model carbines which were rejected or "second class" arms were sold on the civilian market place, but these would be merely carbines without a cartouche from the final inspector on the stock.

The 1864 catalog from New York dealer Schuyler, Hartley & Graham pictured Fifth Model carbines for sale - and we know from the discussion of that model that thousands were available as production "seconds." A few Fifth model sporting arms are known, some of which look like merely a fancy carbine with burl stocks and a metal tip added to the forestock; some of these may be "lunch box" guns, made by factory workers for their private use, or reworked ex-military carbines.

Pictured here is a variety of rifles which represent non-military arms. We choose to identify any rifle as a "sporting" rifle that is adorned with engraving or has non-military furniture and lacks a saddle bar and ring, or has fancy wood stocks, or has a special rear sight, or has a longer barrel than the carbines.

​

I'm looking forward to pouring over the rest of Mr. Hull's book, as it looks very thorough, complete, and well done!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1519526075/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

 

[Legion Para]

 

[Private Watkins]

Just a few more thoughts on this topic... seems to me like the possibilities relating to the two sporting rifles in the first post (and I'm going to focus particularly on the second one listed, #4) include:

• Post-war gunsmith modification of a production carbine.
• "Lunch-box" assembly by an employee in spare time with spare parts, etc.
• Factory production of a sporting rifle line that never really took off...
  
• Presentation piece made at the factory on an ad hoc basis for gift presentation to vip's.

My thoughts on liklihood of each of those scenarios...

• In my opinion I think post-war gunsmith modification of a production carbine is least likely scenario because
  • No serial number at all in the usual places where would have been on a production carbine
  • Fit and finish is very high, indicative I think of skilled company work
  • The similarity in barrel, parts and furniture between #4 and plates 5.7 and 5.10 indicate a consistency that would not be likely in one-off post-war gunsmith mods
  • #4 has both the fifth model guide screw and the patent markings on top of the frame; typically the patent markings are only found on earlier models, which again argues in my opinion against a post-war gunsmith modification of a production carbine.
• I think the next least likely scenario is line production of a late model sporting rifle. There isn't any evidence that such was ever advertised or promoted, and the company's focus was clearly on its large military contract at the time.
• I think the "lunch-box theory is very plausible. The only doubt I have with this theory is that it seems to suggest an individual employee working on his own, doing his own thing, which seems inconsistent with the fact that #4 shares much in common with plates 5.7 and 5.10 as previously noted.
• Thus I think the idea of a company sponsored effort to hand-make a few high grade "presentation" rifles in the factory seems to make a lot of sense. Such practice was certainly wide spread with other gun makers, and the similarities yet minor changes between these pieces would fit nicely with that theory, as well as the other items noted such as absence of serial numbers, inconsistent markings, etc. (Note - the #4 markings are not likely serial numbers but assembly numbers in my opinion given their location).

Anyway, would love to hear other thoughts, counterpoints, etc. Thanks!