Gibbs Carbine

History of the Gibbs Carbine

The American Civil War gave birth to a wide variety of small arms, and it proved that there was no shortage of engineers to meet the needs of either side on the battlefield. One entry in the line of long-range weapons aimed at cavalry soldiers was the "Gibbs Carbine," a relatively compact breech-loading weapon fired using the primer method.

Although the Union ordered thousands of these carbines, the number was limited. The shortened barrel length allows the weapon to be used by cavalry and can be easily used on the ground in traditional rifle fashion.

The gun, derived from a patent issued by L. H. Gibbs on January 8, 1856, has a typical rifle/carbine arrangement of the time, with metal parts inlaid in a wooden frame. The barrel is 22 inches long with a barrel strap extending from the front end. A sighting device was installed near the muzzle. The mechanics are located at the rear of the frame, and the elegantly curved hinge hammers are clearly visible on the right side of the body. Once raised, the hammer falls onto the waiting nipple, to which the striking cap is attached before firing.

Once the action is broken (the barrel assembly slides forward), the weapon is loaded through the exposed breech. As usual, the trigger assembly is housed in a narrow annular shield under the frame, and the thinner part of the wooden stock (near the shoulder) serves as the handle.

A lasso loop has been added to the slider on the left side of the body.

As far as the Civil War carbine goes, the Gibbs carbine became a rare addition to the battlefield - mostly due to circumstances beyond its creator/manufacturer's control. While the U.S. government ordered 10,000 samples of this type, only 1,052 came from the Phoenix Armory factory, which burned down during the draft riots in New York in July 1863 - and this came after the first deliveries had already begun.

Can. The factory itself is owned/operated by W.F. Brooks and partner W.W. Marsden, so early production forms are marked by their "W. F. Brooks/Manfd. New York" on the lock assembly, while later model examples are by their "L. H. Gibbs/ Patd Jany 8, 1856" Mark Recognition.

As the war progressed, fire largely limited the ultimate range of this useful gun.

Gibbs' known combat units on the field were the 10th Missouri Cavalry (426 carbines in service in September 1863) and the Union's 13th and 16th New York Cavalry.

Specification

Basics

Years of Service

1863

Origins

United States

Categories

Impact carbine with bolt and rifle

Manufacturer

Phoenix Armory (L.H. Gibbs) - USA

Carrier

United States

Distinctive features

Compact nature

The compact nature allows for relatively easy confusion.

Iron Mask

Support for "iron sights" for inherent accuracy within a range.

Dimensions and Weight

Barrel Length

559mm

22. 01 at

Cured weight

1,847. 91 lbs

838.20 kg

Attractions

Before and after ironing.

Action

Percussion Cover

Percussion Cover

The propellant ignition is triggered using the impact cap operating system; similar to children's cap guns, small explosive caps are placed on the nipples, which are driven by previously erected drop weights.

Cartridges and Paper Feeds

Caliber*

. 52

Circle/Feed

1

Performance

Rate of fire

2

rds/min

VARIANTS

Gibbs Carbine - Base Series Name.