I Was Just Sitting There Minding My Own Business The C&B Carbine

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Regtl. Quartermaster Shiloh 2020
Asst. Regtl. Quartermaster Antietam 2021
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At this weekends Alabama Gun Collectors Show I was just sitting there at my tables minding my own business when the show director and close friend (The Col.) walked up with 2 nice folks with a gun case. When I opened it I almost wet my pants as staring out at me was a Cook & Brothers Cavalry Carbine. I looked it over carefully an all the parts were original with all the serial # matching. After a close inspection and giving time for my heart to slow down I made them an offer. They thanked me and I even pointed out a few other CS collectors would love to see it and they went down the line. I figured that was the last time I would see them. Little did I know that I won the gun show auction until they reappeared a few hours later and accepted my offer. Now the problem, where do I come up with that kind of cash on Saturday afternoon. Thanks to @redbob, the Col and a ATM machine I scrounged it up and they even came back on Sunday morning as it took that long to round up the funds.
Now to the Cook & Brothers carbine. It is a true closet found weapon from a 1912 built home in Eastlake. They provided me all the family info so I can try and track the family Confederate soldier with the initials. This carbine, serial #6004 is one of the muskets contracted by the State of Alabama in 1864. After getting it home and doing a little light cleaning this musket just keep on giving. The barrel still had rifling's and had the cartouche FLC (Francis L Cook) behind the saddle ring bar just where it should be. Now I need to get started on the family research and what to do about the crack in the stock.
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At this weekends Alabama Gun Collectors Show I was just sitting there at my tables minding my own business when the show director and close friend (The Col.) walked up with 2 nice folks with a gun case. When I opened it I almost wet my pants as staring out at me was a Cook & Brothers Cavalry Carbine. I looked it over carefully an all the parts were original with all the serial # matching. After a close inspection and giving time for my heart to slow down I made them an offer. They thanked me and I even pointed out a few other CS collectors would love to see it and they went down the line. I figured that was the last time I would see them. Little did I know that I won the gun show auction until they reappeared a few hours later and accepted my offer. Now the problem, where do I come up with that kind of cash on Saturday afternoon. Thanks to @redbob, the Col and a ATM machine I scrounged it up and they even came back on Sunday morning as it took that long to round up the funds.
Now to the Cook & Brothers carbine. It is a true closet found weapon from a 1912 built home in Eastlake. They provided me all the family info so I can try and track the family Confederate soldier with the initials. This carbine, serial #6004 is one of the muskets contracted by the State of Alabama in 1864. After getting it home and doing a little light cleaning this musket just keep on giving. The barrel still had rifling's and had the cartouche FLC (Francis L Cook) behind the saddle ring bar just where it should be. Now I need to get started on the family research and what to do about the crack in the stock.
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You are just lucky that in my Sunset years I could remember where I had the money buried out in the back yard...
 
You are just lucky that in my Sunset years I could remember where I had the money buried out in the back yard...

I know what you mean as I had to find where I wrote down the pin for my mad money card. I will get your Thank You note out in tomorrows mail.:D
 
Nice! Just curious: what are you going to do about the crack? Would it be best just to leave it alone?
 
Nice! Just curious: what are you going to do about the crack? Would it be best just to leave it alone?
I'm still thinking about what to do. If I don't fix it is going to eventually separate from the stock. I really need to get it stabilized.
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...Now I need to get started on the family research and what to do about the crack in the stock.

Early this month I bought from Jackson Armory in Dallas a M.1863 Springfield that is in beautiful condition - except for a similar piece broken out of the stock in the same place beside the tang. The owner has taken it to his smith who he says can repair the crude attempt at "fixing" it that has been made previously, supposedly to where it's unnoticeable or barely so. When I get it back I'll post photos of it and you can see whether or not it lives up to the reputation!
 
Early this month I bought from Jackson Armory in Dallas a M.1863 Springfield that is in beautiful condition - except for a similar piece broken out of the stock in the same place beside the tang. The owner has taken it to his smith who he says can repair the crude attempt at "fixing" it that has been made previously, supposedly to where it's unnoticeable or barely so. When I get it back I'll post photos of it and you can see whether or not it lives up to the reputation!
While the crack is obvious and needs to be repaired, it isn't quite as bad as the "blown up" photos make it appear. Of course, I'm only the very unsilent "silent" coconspirator in all of this.
 
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It looks pretty terrible in the photos - certainly not enough to be a deal killer though!
When I saw it, I'm not sure that I ever even remember seeing the crack for the tears running from my eyes ,the drool dripping from my lips and the sweat coming from my palms- once it is squared away, it is going to be an even more amazing piece than it already is.
 
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Since I'm the office manager of a custom cabinet & wood shop I believe we can handle this one without much problem but I'm going to let the wood whisperer fix it.
 
I am still drooling I need to wipe off my key board

You and me both. I woke up yesterday thinking it was a dream but its still here. It is a true aka barn find. Now I have to get to work researching the G Grandmothers family to see if anyone with the LWE initials is in her tree.
 
Since I'm the office manager of a custom cabinet & wood shop I believe we can handle this one without much problem but I'm going to let the wood whisperer fix it.
This is really interesting to me because if I'd seen it "in person" I likely would've quickly run the other way! I'm not familiar with the characteristics of one of these, and the style of lettering and particularly the hokey-looking Confederate flag send red flags all over the place. In this particular case it's much better that someone like you got it who realized exactly what it is!
 
Would the crack in the stock develop from use during the war or age and drying out along the wood grain? Were they using black walnut, oak, or beech for the stock?

After it is fixed, is this something you could/would actually fire again?
 
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