Original U.S. Civil War Starr Model 1865 Saddle Ring Carbine in .56-50 Spencer Rimfire - Serial 33979

Original Item: Only One Available. The Starr carbine was a "Capping Breech Loader" type single-shot firearm used by the United States Army. Designed in 1858, the Starr was primarily used by cavalry soldiers in the American Civil War. In January 1858, Ebenezer Starr submitted his design for a single-shot, breech-loading cap fired rifle to the Washington Armory for evaluation. During testing, the rifle was noted to have no misfires, and its accuracy was considered better than average. Testers commented that if the gas seal could be improved, the weapon would be better than its rival, the Sharps carbine. The gun was then adopted as the Model 1858 carbine. Between 1861 and 1864, over 20,000 were produced by the Starr Arms Company of Yonkers, New York. The Model 1858 was designed to fire paper or linen cartridges. Interestingly, before the conclusion of the war, Starr successfully morphed their percussion model into a metallic cartridge carbine by changing out the breechblock, hammer and ba