Description
Only 2,000 Greene carbines were manufactured by the Massachusetts Arms Company in the mid-1850s, originally for British use in the Crimean War. They differ from the standard American type by the larger caliber, the use of Queen Victoria’s “St. Edward’s Crown/VR” cipher behind hammer on the lock, the British proofmarks, shorter barrel, sling ring on the trigger guard tang and the use of casehardened steel for the butt and patch box instead of brass. All but a few hundred are believed to have been scrapped for parts and few are believed to have seen actual British military use–there is evidence some came back to the US in the early Civil War years, bought by both Union and Confederate agents. This example has the standard blade and folding ladder sights, “MASS ARM. CO./CHICOPEE FALLS/U.S.A. 1856” behind the cipher on the lock, Maynard patent marking on the primer door, British proofs, the two-line Greene patent marking on the upper tang, and matching serial numbers. Museum grade weapon overall.
