43 - British percussion carbine, probably Pattern 1856, lock “TOWER”, crown over “V.R”, dated 1857

British percussion carbine, probably Pattern 1856, lock “TOWER”, crown over “V.R”, dated 1857 Short cavalry carbine, probably Pattern 1856, calibre 15 mm, probably made by W. Scott. Round smoothbore barrel, percussion lock with ribbed hammer spur, the lock plate with crown over “V.R”, an arrow mark in front of the hammer, dated “1857” below the hammer, beneath it rubbed “TOWER”. The barrel with acceptance and proof marks: crown over broad arrow, crown over numeral, together with “B 70”. Full stock, brass butt plate and trigger guard, two iron barrel bands, at the muzzle the swivel joint of the captive ramrod, ramrod present. On the side opposite the lock an iron saddle bar and ring, fixed with the counter screw of the lock. The butt with brand stamp “WD” with broad arrow, “1883” and “2” as well as a round stamp, “ARSENAL” legible in the legend. Condition commensurate with age, mechanism functional, the iron parts pitted with rust spots, drying crack below the lock plate, a repair below the lock in the front area. Please inspect. L. 93 cm. The British Pattern 1856 cavalry carbine belongs to the family of Enfield percussion arms in calibre .577: 21-inch barrel, folding rear sight, captive ramrod on a swivel joint so that it was not lost when loading on horseback, and saddle bar and ring for hooking onto the rider's carbine hook. All carbines of this pattern were made under contract by the London and Birmingham trade; after inspection at the Tower of London the locks received the marking “TOWER” and, on acceptance, the crown over “V.R” for Victoria Regina, while the state factory at Enfield only built the successor Pattern 1861. After the uprising in India in 1857 most Indian troops received smoothbore arms outwardly resembling the Enfield models; for this, rifled barrels were bored out in Indian arsenals, and round stamps such as “BOMBAY ARSENAL” on the butt bear witness to this use. The brand “WD” with broad arrow marks property of the War Department, into which the Board of Ordnance had been absorbed in 1855. Muzzle-loader exempt from licensing under German law, sale to persons aged 18 and over only.