Guns International #: 102417911
Seller's Inventory #: CPB22-60

Category - Civil War Carbines - Military Rifles - Antique

Category
Civil War Carbines
Military Rifles - Antique

* SOLD ** U.S. Civil War 1863 Gwyn & Campbell Type 1 "Grapevine" Union Carbine in .52 Caliber ** All-Original & Battle-Used **

Description:
This is a very neat and all-original early-production Gwyn & Campbell Type 1 "Grapevine" Union Carbine in .52 caliber.  The Gwyn & Campbell was the succesor to the Cosmopolitine Carbine and was manufactured in the same plant.  The breech-loading cavalry carbine featured a 20" inch round barrel with a octagon shaped chamber area, no forearm of any kind, a left-side mounted sling bar and ring, a very uniquely shaped lower action-lever and hammer, extended steel tangs off the top and bottom of the receiver running along the top and bottom of the wrist, and a slim hardwood stock with steel hardware.  The Gwyn & Campbell carbine used a lever-actuated falling block design for breech-loading a paper cartridge into the chamber at which point when the lever was pulled up the breech block would ram the paper cartridge forward and swing up into battery.  The hammer was then cocked and a percussion cap was put on the standard-style nipple located on the right side of the receiver, readying the carbine for firing.  The unique extended and curved design of the action lever combined with the extended and curved length of the hammer and thumbpiece earned the carbine the nickname "The Grapevine Carbine" for obvious reasons.  The Gwyn & Campbell Union Carbine proved to be a very good weapon for the cavalry; light, handy, easy to load, accurate, and durable.  The U.S. Ordnance Department issued a total of 13 contracts for the Gwyn & Campbell, totaling 8,202 carbines.  A large number of Union Cavalry outfits were armed with these including the 7th Tennessee, 5th & 8th Ohio, 4th & 8th Missouri, 3rd Wisconsin, 2nd & 3rd Iowa, 2nd & 3rd Arkansas, 5th, 6th & 16th Illinois, 2nd, 6th & 14th Kansas, and finally the 10th, 12th, and 14th Cavalry of Kentucky.  This particular example is a "Type 1" serial number 2164, and it appears to have been carried and used in battle.  As you can see from the pictures all of the steel has a nicely worn and aged patina that is consistent across all of the steel parts.  All of the numbered parts are matching, and all of the original factory markings are still intact and legible, although some are worn a little faint.  While the exterior shows it's age and wear, the action itself is in excellent condition.  The action lever and breech block locks up tight with no slop when it battery, and all of the parts move smoothly and precisely when the action is worked.  The hammer still has the half-cock and full-cock notches intact, and the hammer only drops from full-cock when the trigger is pulled. 

SOLD

Antique: Yes
Rifle Caliber: .52
Manufacturer: Gwyn & Campbell
Model: Type 1 "Grapevine" Union Carbine
Serial Number: 2164
Barrel Length: 20" Inches
Barrel Type: Round w/ Octagon Chamber
Action: Falling-Block Breech-Loading Percussion Carbine
Sights: Iron Sights w/ Rear Flip-Up Ladder Sight Graduated to 900 Yards
Manufacture Date: 1863