I traded a Model 1884 U.S. Trapdoor rifle for a Pattern 1856 enfield carbine.

[drm3m]

This trade took place in September 2017.

The Trapdoor was stock dated 1893 with an SWP Inspector's stamp.





I didn't know anything about the Pattern 1856 Enfield Cavalry Carbine --SO--I threw the question out to my expert Bill Adams---this is what he said.

"Your carbine is a standard P56 East India Pattern carbine, but was issued to a British regular unit, hence the numeral 1 and the Tower roundel. The 1 signifies issue to a regular Army/cavalry unit".

I think that it would be nice to have a P56 cavalry carbine in your CW collection. They are a fine weapon and were very popular with the Confederates. They are excellent shooters. It's very difficult to find one that was actually used in the War and even harder to find one that retains its original sling ring and bar. It seems that many of the carbines were used as barn guns following the War. The P56 was much liked by Jeb Stuart and his ordnance officer John Esten Cooke. I have one carried by a trooper in the Georgia cavalry and several others without provenance to an individual.

 

[drm3m]

It is sometimes interesting to remember how we acquired some of our guns.

In 2017 I received a 'heads up' that a fellow (since deceased) who lived close to me was moving and wanted to get rid of some of his father's guns.
He gave me the telephone number and I rushed over to see what was involved on a Sunday morning.

I saw a beautiful M1911A1 Colt rig that his father brought back after WWII and the Trapdoor rifle.
I bought both of them for $500 cash.
The Colt was not registered ---BUT --I got it registered --and the Trapdoor was later than the U.S. Civil War stuff that I collect.
That is why I traded the Trapdoor rifle.

I kept this Colt rig.

 

[vstarclassic]

Sweet