The 1856 Pattern Cavalry Carbine is based upon the carbine that was in service with the East India Company at the time and was known as the East India Service Pattern. This gun is a compact, muzzle loading percussion firearm with a 21” barrel with the service standard .577” bore. The carbine closely resembled the 1853 Pattern Rifle Musket, with a blued barrel and barrel bands and brass furniture. It features a captive ramrod, mounted near the muzzle, with a pair of swivel arms. The rear sight was of the same pattern used on the 1853 Pattern Artillery Carbine and consisted of a fixed 100-yard leaf and two additional folding leaves for 200 and 300 yards, respectively. The sight had been developed by Thomas Turner as part of the design of the 1853 Pattern rifle musket and had originally been intended for use in conjunction with an adjustable long ladder sight regulated out to 1,000 yards. The total length of the gun is 36.5 inches and it features the Victoria crown and the number 57 on the barrel (likely year of production) along with other markings such as the War Department stamp and “72 S.F.”.
*Condition*
This cavalry carbine is in great condition for its age and use. The metal parts have a patina in keeping with its age and there are various light knocks and marks across the wooden parts. Please see pictures for more detail as they form part of our condition report.
