RARE**American Civil War Era, Early Serial Number, Frank Wesson USA, 1859-1862 Patent 2nd Type .32 Rim Fire Obsolete Calibre Break Action Breech Loading Double Trigger Carbine. Sn 20692 Single Shot .32 Rifles

**RARE**American Civil War Era, Early Serial Number, Frank Wesson USA, 1859-1862 Patent 2nd Type .32 Rim Fire Obsolete Calibre Break Action Breech Loading Double Trigger Carbine. Sn 20692 - 20692

Frank Wesson rifles were a series of single-shot rifles manufactured between 1859 and 1888 in Worcester, Massachusetts. They were purchased by many state governments during the American Civil War, including Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and Ohio. They were one of the first rifles to use rimfire metallic cartridges. The rifles were initially made in .22, .32, .38, and .44 rimfire. Centerfire cartridges were added later, and some rifles were capable of firing rimfire or centerfire cartridges, by altering an adjustment on the hammer. By 1859, there were a number of single-shot breech-loading rifles available to the American military and public. These included the Sharps rifle (1848), the Smith carbine (1857) and others. On all 'two-trigger' Frank Wesson models, the front trigger opened the rifle at half cock, the rear trigger fired it. 1st type Frank Wesson carbines were made between 1859-1864 and had no extractor until later 1st types which had an extractor on the left side of the action. 2nd Type Frank Wessons such as ours had the extractor moved to the right side of the action and were made 1863-1876. Our 2nd type Frank Wesson carbine is in excellent. The weapon is 39 ¼” overall length. The weapon has a 23 ¾” long, octagonal barrel. The barrel’s bore is clean with typical light rifling. The metal work is clean. It has a block & blade foresight, ‘u’ block rear sight and correct additional folding aperture peep sight. The top barrel flat is stamped ‘Frank Wesson Worcester Mass Pat’d Oct 25 1859 Nov 11 1862’. The trigger guard tang has early serial number ‘191’. The all original Walnut shoulder stock has just light bumps and bruises to be expected with age and use. The butt plate is steel. The loading and firing actions work crisply. The price for this rare carbine in excellent condition includes UK delivery. NB As an antique obsolete calibre carbine no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 20692

£1,575.00