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Winning Bid US $541 First bid $500 Quantity 1 # of bids 3 Time left Auction has ended   Started 2025-07-28 00:00:00 Ended 2025-11-21 22:35:25

English Contractor/Mexico, Paget Carbine (1808 Short Light Cavalry Carbine), Cal: .75 (Musket bore), MFG: 1808-1830's, Flintlock smoothbore carbine, 19 3/8'' barrel.

HISTORY: Designed in 1808 to address the complaints from the older cavalry carbines heavy weight, longer size, & with the wide variety of carbines that were in service. They had many different models of carbines with different bore sizes & just wanted to standardize to make logistics, manufacture, & repair easier. It was up to the Colonel commanding the cavalry regiment on what equipment they were using & his personal preference or agenda took precedence over uniformity or caliber. Before this there were three different bore sizes in use, the ''Musket bore'' =/-.75, Carbine bore +/- .67, or Pistol bore =/- .58. All three different sizes were used on all types of guns in a attempt to use the same ammo from in a rifle/carbine/pistol, but many variations are possible. The Paget carbine was a attempt to truly standardize across the board for the Carbine size barrel, but examples of other bore sizes can be found. A complaint from the older carbines was loosing the ramrod on horseback, it introduce the affixed ramrod that was commonly seen on other cavalry carbines/pistol muzzleloaders. The design was championed/pushed to the British government by Cavalry officer Lord Henry Paget & is where it got its name from, but its evidence points towards Henry Nock as the true designer. The Paget carbine would however be almost universally loathed by the units who had to use it, but it continued to be used until the 1830's when other carbines became available. Some 1808 Carbines were converted to Percussion locks in the late 1830's-40's & be used by British cavalry in the colonies, by the east India company, or by colonial militias. Some were even rifled later on in use & were used clear till the turn of the century. At this time, Britan relied heavily on contractors to produce guns that were then assembled into full rifles at the tower of London or by other contractors known as ''setter ups''. This led to large amounts of unused components that were readily available for assembly into complete arms. Britan also has a ''Cottage'' gun industry where small shops would specialize in making one part & then ship them out to be assembled into a rifle. It was easier for the smaller shops to keep producing the parts they were set up for, rather than re-tooling for the new one so many manufacturers keep making the older parts. with both of these factors combines most British rifles of this era are a mix of models/parts. Other commercial manufacturers would also buy older parts & assembly military like patterns of rifle & sell them on the commercial market, leading to more variation. Flintlock & percussion converted carbines would be sold off as surplus to other nations & used by them. large numbers of these carbines were sold to Mexico & used during their colonial area & were in widespread use with their cavalry during the battel of the Alamo. This carbine fits the bill for ones sold to the Mexican government by British suppliers & is the most believable story on how it made its way over here. This rifle comes from the Famous Mike Carrick collection & can be seen in Chisnall Barry's book ''British Non-Ordnance Military Carbines 1750-1900'' on page 39.

CONDITION: The straight wrist wood stock is very good as being lightly sanded & oiled. Stock has various small nicks, dings, dents, & scratches from use/age. There is a wood chunk break repair at the tip of the forend, & a couple termite holes on the bottom of the stock, by the lock. The rear of the lock plate is sticking out of the lock cutout. The trigger guard, ramrod guides, & the upper extension of the buttplate are secured with pins through the stock. The metal has toned to a gun metal gray with speckling of dark patina. light roughness from use around the action. most markings are partially faded from wear/cleaning over the years. The top of the barrel is marked with two British proofs, ''IA'' stamped by the touch hole. The lock plate is marked ''TOWER'' over ''PROOF'', & a crown. The hammer (cock) is not correct for this pattern, likely replaced in the field, has ornamental engravings. The lock has no inside bridle & the inside of the lock plate is marked ''S.S.''. The bore is Fair to poor. Beginning to darken with roughness & some pitting, mainly focused halfway up the bore to the muzzle. Smoothbore. The barrel holds a brass front sight. The stock carries a brass buttplate with small dings & nicks. Rifle has a left side mounted bar with a sling ring, & has the affixed ramrod. Hammer does go into half-cock is stiff with some binding, hammer binds & stops before going into full-cock. a seldom seen & interesting flintlock carbine. Antique/Muzzleloader, No FFL Req. - Value: 1000 to 3000

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Price

English Contractor/Mexico, Paget Carbine (1808 Short Light Caval... Item # 4424 This auction is over. No new bids can be placed. Price: US $541

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