Joslyn 1st Model Carbine 1862 Single Shot .52 Rifles

This superb Joslyn carbine is a First Model 1862 that used an innovative pivoting breechblock system invented and patented by Massachusetts gun designer Benjamin Franklin Joslyn in 1855. Under a June 1862 government contract, his firm, the Joslyn Fire Arms Company of Stonington, Connecticut, produced his first rimfire model carbine designated the Model 1862. Designed for field use with Federal horse soldiers, the Joslyn carbine fired a standard rimfire cartridge of .52 calibre. Joslyn’s unique loading arrangement consisted of lifting up the breechblock tab or hook, pivoting the breechblock to the left and then inserting the round. A hook-type friction latch for the breechblock and the exposed firing pin extension were characteristics of the Model 1862 Joslyn.

An iteration of this type of breech block can be seen in the Werndl rifle and carbine produced in Europe after the Civil War.

This particular carbine is in excellent condition and exhibits a pleasing appearance with a fine walnut stock and all brass mounted furniture, including the trigger guard, barrel band and butt plate. Carbine bears serial #3109 on top of the breechblock and on all matching components. All gunmetal wears a pleasing dark grey-coloured patina. The flat, casehardened lock plate is sharply stamped forward of the hammer with a sharp “JOSLYN FIREARMS Co / STONINGTON/ CONN”. Top surface of the hinged breechblock exhibits clean patent stampings “B.F. JOSLYN’S PATENT / OCTOBER 8TH, 1861 / JUNE 1862 / 3109”.

The bore is excellent as is the wood fit to metal and there are outstanding military cartouches extant. The easy way to differentiate between the rare first model and the commoner second model is that the first model has brass furniture.

Most of these carbines were converted to centre fire after the Civil War and had extensive use in the Indian Wars. It is uncommon to find an unconverted first model and for a collector of Civil War Carbines it would be difficult to improve on this outstanding carbine.