Confederate Cartouches

[Jfcaver1]

I have a Ball and Williams Ballard SN 13906. It has no Inspector or Sub Inspector markings. It is a carbine that falls within manufacture during the Civil War. What it does have, is an oval stamped or carved where the cartouche should be. Inside this oval is carved "5V or SV" (photo below). There is also "CSA" carved crudely in the stock as well. Is it possible that this is a Confederate Inspector Mark?

 

[UCVRelics]

Since it was a Union made gun and not Confederate it would not a be a CS inspectors mark just because it has a spurious CSA carved in the stock. W would love to see photos of the whole gun to include the CSA carving.

 

[Package4]

I have a Ball and Williams Ballard SN 13906. It has no Inspector or Sub Inspector markings. It is a carbine that falls within manufacture during the Civil War. What it does have, is an oval stamped or carved where the cartouche should be. Inside this oval is carved "5V or SV" (photo below). There is also "CSA" carved crudely in the stock as well. Is it possible that this is a Confederate Inspector Mark?

View attachment 341288

A reworked or cleaned gun picked up by the Confederate Ordnance would have a small letter in the stock or barrel, they are not carved but stamped.