Tower, First Pattern 1853 Artillery Carbine, 1956 Dated, Crimean War Contract. Sn - 13239 Tower, First Pattern 1853 Artillery Carbine, 1956 Dated, Crimean War Contract. Sn - 13239 Muzzleloader .577 Rifles

This is a first pattern 1853 artillery carbine from the 1853 pattern of arms designed to replace all of the earlier arms in British service. During the Crimean war, the Tower arsenal was unable to manufacture enough guns so contracts were put out to Belgian arms industry at Liege to produce complete guns and barrels for the British government. The artillery carbine when first adopted in 1854 had a 24 inch barrel with and overall length of 40 inches. This gun featured a rearsight with a fixed 100 yard rearsight with two leaves graduated to 200 & 300 yards. The carbine had a swelled, button headed ramrod and a forward extension to the bayonet bar. This is a Tower produced artillery carbine for the Crimean War. This carbine retains all of these original features. The lockplate is engraved with TOWER 1865 (date) VR under the queens crown, acceptance stamps and has twin line border engraving. The barrel is rifled with 3 grooves and the rifling is bright and clean. The barrel is crisply stamped on the breech with many acceptance stamps. The barrel retains much of its worn original blued finish. The woodwork is in excellent condition and is stamped on the side between the lockplate screws HOLLLIOAK. The left hadn side of the stock is stamped with a crowfoot and WD. See page 44, British Military Longarms 1815-1865 by D.W. Bailey, British Military Firearms 1650-1850 by Howard l. Blackmore, also RB 36 on page 6, Catalogue of the Enfield Pattern Room, British Rifles, published by Her Majesty’s Stationary Office. The price includes UK delivery. As an antique rifle no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 132