IDing Originals to Units

[Curt Schmidt]

Hallo!

Let's see how this goes?

I have access to the Springfield Research Service's serial number (partial) registry system. As a FREE service to AC members and pards, I would be happy to search the issuance history of your originals.

This will either fizzle, or I will get snowed under. Let's send up a trial balloon and see what happens? I am a game balloonist.

Curt

[LibertyHallVols]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Folks,
The SRS database was once on-line and available free of charge. The database has information on thousands upon thousands of US martial arms, both before and after the Civil War, well into the 20th Century. If you have a military firearm with a serial number, this is an easy "first start" toward determining the provenance.

In the world of collecting, you are always admonished to "buy the gun, not the story" because provenance can be tough to prove. Well, that's only true if your gun doesn't have a hit on the SRS database!

I would encourage folks to take advantage of this!

[CompanyWag]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

OK Curt, I'm game. What do you have for a Burnside carbine (4th type) with a serial number 809?

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Hallo!

809 is not in the SRS, but 810 is.

810 is recorded as going to the Company "G," 14th PA Cavalry in 1864.

This strikes me odd, as if it were a replacement as the majority of the 14th's Burnsides were issued in 1863 and were of the 13,XXX range and should be 4th Models. In theory...810 "should be" a 1st Model, but made in late November or early December 1861 which is in the 2nd Model manufacturing period.

Curt

[CompanyWag]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Thanks Curt. That low SN on a 4th model has always struck me as odd. Really don't know what to make of it...except that I'm grateful that the Burnside Arms Co serial numbered their production which allowed me to reclaim this piece after a burglary some 30+ years ago.

[lyon115]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Curt,

Is there any information regarding a Spencer Rifle model 1860 with a serial number of 8340?

Thanks,

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Hallo!

Sorry, no listing for 8340.

But it does fall in the range of those rifles issued on April 8, 1865 to Company "G" of the 8th Indiana Cavalry. I suspect they may were an upgrade as the 8th is listed with Spencer rifles 1863-1864.
And an 8XXX range rifle would have been made in October of 1863.

Curt

[Philo]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Herr Schmidt,

Lets try Smith Carbine #9666

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Hallo!

No listing for 9666.

But.. it falls in the range issued on August 21, 1863 to Company "I" of the 3rd Maryland Cavalry.

Curt

[Matt Woodburn]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Curt,

Thanks for being so kind to look up these. I will list the unit I have them ID's to but I'd love to know if you can confirm via your lists. Many thanks!

Item#
104 1860 Spencer Army Rifle Ser. # 7938, smooth barrel, case color on bands, ID'd to 8th Ind. Cav.
109 Colt Revolving Rifle Ser. # 7210, bright, stampings legible, 2nd MI Cav. Co L, at Franklin
110 New Model 1863 Sharps Rifle Ser. # C,37083, 2 cartouches, case color on frame, 6th Vet. Vol. Inf., Co E
121 Henry Repeating Rifle, 2nd Model Ser. # 4016
251 New Model 1863 Sharps Carbine Ser. # C19,934
252 Burnside Carbine, 4th Model Ser. # 2727, legible markings, 2 cartouches ID'd Co. L, 11th N.Y. Cav.
253 1860 Spencer Carbine Ser. # 30,449, 6th Ill. Cav., Co. K, at Franklin
254 Maynard Carbine, 2nd Model Ser. # 564, .50 cal., ID'd to 6th Ind. Cav., Co. L, at Franklin
255 Smith Carbine Ser. # 20,334, 11 Ill. Cav., Co. I
256 Wesson Carbine Ser. # 3713, marked "B. Kittredge & Co., Cincinnati O."
257 Gwyn & Campbell Carbine Ser. # 2788
258 Starr Carbine Ser. # 8171
259 Model 1860 Spencer Carbine Ser. # 12739
260 Sharps and Hankins Navy Carbine Ser. # 6391
351 Starr .44 cal. DA Army Revolver Ser. # 20312, sharp lettering, 2 cartouches, "B" stamped
352 Savage Navy Revolver Ser. # 10703
353 Remington New Model Army Revolver Ser. # 48263
354 Model 1851 Colt Navy Revolver Ser. # 70636
355 Model 1860 Colt Army Revolver Ser. # 48257, 12 Ohio Cav., Co. K
356 Smith and Wesson Model No. 2 Ser. # 15075
357 Model 1849 Colt Pocket Revolver Ser. # 99883, 4" bbl
358 Model 1862 Colt Police Revolver Ser. # 16435, 4" bbl
359 Remington .31 Cal. Pocket Revolver Ser. # 11385
360 Manhattan Revolver Ser. # 23746
361 Whitney Revolver Ser. # 4736
364 Bacon Revolver Ser. # 822
365 Smith & Wesson Model #2 Ser. # 43663

Where would you send me to look up CS manufactured handguns?

Thanks for your help!

[biggumbo]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Greetings Herr Schmidt,

Don't know if you are still offering this service on the AC as it's a bit over a year since last post, but if so, would you be so kind as to look up a Burnside 3rd Model with S/N 11243?

My thanks in advance,

Travis

[Don Dixon]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Herr Schmidt:

I have serveral more, if you are still looking up serial numbers:

Smith Carbine, # 2823
Sharps Carbine, # 87574
Remington New Model Revolver (so called "1858"), # 108554

Sharps New Model 1859 infantry rifle, # 57337 This one is in the range of the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooter regiment, and has one of the 2,000 barrels inspcted for the Sharpshooter rifles. But, it only has a single trigger, as did some of the last ones produced by Sharps for the Sharpshooters. Due to declining manpower -- combat casualties, disability, disease, and desertion -- not all 2,000 weapons were issued to the Sharpshooters. Some later went to the Pennsylvania Bucktails (42nd Pennsylvania Infantry) and the 2nd Veteran Volunteers. It would be interesting to know if this serial has come up since Springfield went off-line.

Regards,
Don Dixon

[Charles1983]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Hello Herr Schmidt,
I have a Smith Carbine S/N 2925
If you're still doing serial number checks for us, I greatly appreciate it!

Thanks,
Charles McCormack

[fjs911]

Re: IDing Originals to Units

Hallo!

Let's see how this goes?

I have access to the Springfield Research Service's serial number (partial) registry system. As a FREE service to AC members and pards, I would be happy to search the issuance history of your originals.

This will either fizzle, or I will get snowed under. Let's send up a trial balloon and see what happens? I am a game balloonist.

Curt

Curt -
First, I would like to thank you for offering this service and I hope it is still available.
I have a "barn find" in the form of a Maynard Carbine Model-2, the barn being my office where I have been using it as a bookend for 40+ years. It appears to have spent at least 50 years prior as a wall hanging in a bar & grill before it was gifted to me in the '60s. A quick check by my gunsmith says it is probably NRA VG condition with a very bright bore, 90+% bluing and intact cartouches on the stock.

I would greatly appreciate any historic records that you might be able to obtain on this Maynard carbine with serial number 9914.
There are also the letters A.J.N stamped into the left side of the barrel directly above the "Edward Maynard" identification on the frame. These letters appear to have been stamped or engraved with a fixture since they are perfectly in line, spaced and parallel to the bore. The font is similar but slightly larger than the stamped identification of the frame.

Thank you in advance for any information you can provide.

Fred Staudinger