Unknown lifting breech carbine?

[6.5x55Swiss]

First post here! I recently acquired an unusual lifting breech carbine. There is no maker or arsenal marks of any sort that I can find. Most all the carbines I have seen have side mounted hammers, have sling swivel, use a keeper on the barrel band, and are not a solid block that lifts to clear the frame and accept the paper cartridge and primer on a fixed nipple attached to the rear of the block receiver. You actuate the lever in the downward position the entire breach, elevates upward at the same rate to expose a breech block block that is hollowed out in front to receive a charge and ball and in the back has a fixed musket nipple system. Return the lever to a snap in keeper pin to seal the breech and fire. The wood to metal fit is razor tight. All the screws are untouched and screw heads aligned. It has a platinum It is a smart design! Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated!

 

[vmicraig]

Glad you reposted separately. I think I'm as interested as you in knowing what it is. Very well
could be a foreign model too - Finnish, Swedish, Turkish - I hope
Someone recognizes it

 

[vmicraig]

Possible means of identifying if you can find the reference books

 

[6.5x55Swiss]

If I don't get anything else out of this I'm amazed at how ingenious this era of carbines were! I have read back stories about so many of the makers and their successes, failures, and outright theft of ideas! After reading "Confederate Carbines and Musketoons" by John M. Murphy. Highly recommended reading it! I am still working on IDENTIFYING this!

 

[Conquerordie]

Doesn't answer you're question, but are the threads standard or metric? Will help if it European or American.

 

[Nebraska Lawdog]

Put some oil on that metal and stop that rust.

 

[JackADriscoll]

That's pretty neat. It's pretty crude like a pre pre prototype. It reminds me of a mix between a martini and a rolling block amalgamation

 

[Trooper "D"]

View attachment 553147First post here! I recently acquired an unusual lifting breech carbine. There is no maker or arsenal marks of any sort that I can find. Most all the carbines I have seen have side mounted hammers, have sling swivel, use a keeper on the barrel band, and are not a solid block that lifts to clear the frame and accept the paper cartridge and primer on a fixed nipple attached to the rear of the block receiver. You actuate the lever in the downward position the entire breach, elevates upward at the same rate to expose a breech block block that is hollowed out in front to receive a charge and ball and in the back has a fixed musket nipple system. Return the lever to a snap in keeper pin to seal the breech and fire. The wood to metal fit is razor tight. All the screws are untouched and screw heads aligned. It has a platinum It is a smart design! Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated!

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Welcome!
BTSOOM. What caliber is it? I wonder if it takes a solid powder charge like an old volcanic gun or today's in line muzzleloaders? Interesting piece no doubt. Be sure you clue us in with any info you might find out about it.
Cheers!

 

[Trooper "D"]

View attachment 553147First post here! I recently acquired an unusual lifting breech carbine. There is no maker or arsenal marks of any sort that I can find. Most all the carbines I have seen have side mounted hammers, have sling swivel, use a keeper on the barrel band, and are not a solid block that lifts to clear the frame and accept the paper cartridge and primer on a fixed nipple attached to the rear of the block receiver. You actuate the lever in the downward position the entire breach, elevates upward at the same rate to expose a breech block block that is hollowed out in front to receive a charge and ball and in the back has a fixed musket nipple system. Return the lever to a snap in keeper pin to seal the breech and fire. The wood to metal fit is razor tight. All the screws are untouched and screw heads aligned. It has a platinum It is a smart design! Any knowledge would be greatly appreciated!

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What country did you acquire this from?

 

[6.5x55Swiss]

What country did you acquire this from?

This came from a home in Columbus Mississippi USA
The family has deep military heritage and have been in that area for 200 years. Thanks

 

[Trooper "D"]

This came from a home in Columbus Mississippi USA
The family has deep military heritage and have been in that area for 200 years. Thanks

That is just mind blowing. You might have a one of a kind. There as a thread on a guy who bought one of the only two surviving gun cotton cartridges. Maybe yours was designed for gun cotton as the charge.

 

[JackADriscoll]

Not gun cotton. What is the diameter of the barrel? Is it rifled? I'm def thinking prototype

 

[Trooper "D"]

Not gun cotton. What is the diameter of the barrel? Is it rifled? I'm def thinking prototype

I'm curious about the caliber and barrel design also.
I was kind of being tongue and cheek about the guns cotton. But they, anything its possible when we don't have a single clue.
Cheers!

 

[Trooper "D"]

This came from a home in Columbus Mississippi USA
The family has deep military heritage and have been in that area for 200 years. Thanks

Wasn't there a supply depot in Columbus, MS ?

 

[6.5x55Swiss]

Wasn't there a supply depot in Columbus, MS ?

I truly don't know

 

[Championhilz]

Wasn't there a supply depot in Columbus, MS ?

Briarfield Arsenal was in Columbus, Mississippi.

 

[Old Soldier]

Here is a 'Confederate breech loader' working on a similar system, but side-lock not boxlock made by Bilharz, Hall and Company.

 

[Mint Julep]

I have owned a few Confederate firearms, and I don't have a good feeling about this carbine being Confederate. I never believe the story, but did one come with this piece?

 

[Old Soldier]

I have owned a few Confederate firearms, and I don't have a good feeling about this carbine being Confederate. I never believe the story, but did one come with this piece?

Apparently the name was on my example gun, but I am just quoting what I read. (Bilharz, Hall and Company, Chatham, VA) AND that one has been declare 'unique'.

Bilharz, Hall, and Co. Factory Site, Chatham, VA - Civil War Trails

Then again, it may well be a post-war development of that carbine, but without some form of indentity or date, who knows?

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

I'm leaning towards it being a one-off.