Recently acquired this very nice Tower carbine. It was tagged as 'Tower carbine, model 1839, Crimean War'. It does look like a model 1839, but that bayonet catch is kind of throwing me. Is this an 1839 or later pattern?
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Recently acquired this very nice Tower carbine. It was tagged as 'Tower carbine, model 1839, Crimean War'. It does look like a model 1839, but that bayonet catch is kind of throwing me. Is this an 1839 or later pattern?
Interesting how the LE buttplate still looks like that.
It reminds me of the brunswick pattern muskets that IMA is selling, from the Nepal cache.
Spontaneous reaction: "Is this an 1839 or later pattern?" - It's not a pattern carbine of any kind.
1) The hammer is in a French style, similar to those used on the French musket conversions.
2) The lock-plate, with the pronounced teat end, is from the pre-1800 flintlock era and has been subjected to a "drum and nipple" conversion.
3) The side plate is also from the flintlock age.
3) The bayonet lug is similar to that used on some German "Jäger" models. British service carbines of this period would surely have had a Lovell (?) or similar spring catch.
4) The cut-out of the front band to make space for the bayonet lug - somewhat implausible for any kind of pattern arm - makes me think that the barrel and stock came from different sources.
5) I can't find anything that looks like it in Blackmore. Or here British Volunteer Pattern 1839 Carbine - British Militaria Forums
6) What is the evidence that it is an original British gun at all? Please don't say "because Tower ist stamped on the lock-plate". That proves nothing. Ali Bubba and his colleagues are still stamping them like that to this day. Same caution applies to stamps on the barrel.
I may be utterly wrong, and apologize if I am questioning a rare collectable piece out of insufficent information, but I do not think that this is an original British weapon of any kind. I'll post again if I find anything plausible.
Until then, I'll leave you with the thought that this might be a bitsa.
Looking forward to hearing from someone with better knowledge.
Patrick
Hammer is definitely French or Belgian.