Carbine 42695

[ebeeby]

I held carbine 42685 today. Brown gun, looks like it had a couple of sword hits. Long wrist I think. 3 position tumbler, Correct early hammer and correct sight with no markings on the left side. Looks like it also took some tiny shrapnel hits - smaller than 9 shot. Also, looks like a somewhat primitive 5 point star not deeply cut into the stock. A very interesting piece.

Certainly Custer era. Anyone have any notes on this one?

[Dick Hosmer]

Just noticed your typo - is it 42695 or 42685?

Either would be new to me - falls into a gap in my register between 42615 and 42705, neither of which, FWIW, are in SRS.

Please describe star - center dot, with five lines (rays) located on right butt?

[ebeeby]

Whoops. Had it right in the title it is 42695.
And yes, that is precisely what the star looks like! What is it?

[Dick Hosmer]

Take a look at my 43584 in the .45 album at www.picturetrail.com/sa4570af

Is yours the same? There are about 15 carbines known in the higher "Custer period" serial number range (three being in the 435xx window) with this marking. It was written up in "Man-at-Arms" magazine about ten years ago.

Opinions vary as to what it means - some ascribe it to an Indian sun sign but I believe the markings are far too uniform for that. Some say the Texas Rangers, etc.

[ebeeby]

Dick - Any chance you can scan a copy of that article? That is the star on this carbine.

Eric

[ebeeby]

Dick - Also, what approx value would you put on such a carbine? Brown gun, lots of pounding marks on top of block firing pin bulge, Pin hole like shrapnel marks on left of buttstock including a few pin sized dings (like struck with a sharp hard finely pointed nail) in the barrel. What looks like a couple of saber hits - one into barrel at front of stock which caused a chip in the stock ahead of the barrel band , and one on the buttstock well ahead of the star. 3 pos tumbler, correct front sight, hammer, etc. Saddle ring missing. Circle P cartouche only one visible. Just in round numbers as I may be able to add this to my collection.

Eric

[Dick Hosmer]

How do you feel about the seller? Personal friend, etc. Fair is fair, but it is normally my policy to ask that a seller price their own goods. I've seldom seen much good come of making an offer to a stranger (who - despite denying it, or expressing ignorance - usually has SOME figure in their mind). Go "too low" relative to that figure, even if a fair offer, and they'll be angry, or decide to wait for better; go "too high" and they'll think it is worth even more, or, you may pay way more than they would have accepted.

Mine may be a little better shape, and I would not take $5000 for it, if that helps you any.

I'll see what I can do about the scanning - it may take awhile to find that issue. If anyone else has it handy, feel free to chime in.

[ebeeby]

Too late. Sold for $4000. It went to a good home and I never would have paid that for a brown gun. Just wouldn't.

[Dick Hosmer]

Too bad the "brown gun" stigma still exists. Condition is always nice, but in "1st Model" carbines, ORIGINALITY means EVERYTHING.

If you are looking for a "just might possibly be a Custer gun", condition is the LAST thing with which you should concern yourself.

No one likes garbage of course, but the fetish in some quarters for closet queens, is, IMHO, vastly over-rated.

[ebeeby]

Dick - I appreciate your sentiment. But I wasn't looking for a Custer era gun - just happened upon it. I am looking for a good Charleville and I would expect it to have some pretty deep patina. Still, I have passed up Charlevilles with a patina that just went too deep

So I am anti-brown gun unless I'm not.

Eric