Lamson & Ball Carbine: Henry Meets Spencer (Sort of)

Published on April 15, 2017
Duration: 10:47

This expert-level entry details the Lamson & Ball Carbine, a Civil War-era repeating carbine designed by Albert Ball and manufactured by E.G. Lamson. It covers the carbine's design, historical context including government contracts and delayed delivery, operational mechanics, and its place in firearms history. The entry highlights the carbine's unique features, such as its lever action, under-barrel tube magazine, and an aftermarket magazine cutoff, while comparing it to contemporary firearms like the Henry rifle.

Quick Summary

The Lamson & Ball Carbine is a Civil War-era repeating carbine designed by Albert Ball. It features a lever-action mechanism and an under-barrel tube magazine. Despite government contracts, it saw no combat use due to delivery delays after the war's end.

Chapters

  1. 00:06Introduction: Lamson & Ball Carbine
  2. 00:38Albert Ball's Design & Specs
  3. 01:11E.G. Lamson's Role & Factory
  4. 01:56Lamson's Initial Contracts
  5. 02:28Government Contracts & Caliber Change
  6. 03:24Delayed Delivery and Combat Use
  7. 03:40Post-War Storage and Surplus
  8. 04:47Modern Value and Action Overview
  9. 05:09Cocking and Firing Pin
  10. 05:25Extraction and Ejection Mechanism
  11. 06:21Loading and Chambering
  12. 06:54Sights and Loading Rod
  13. 07:49Sling Ring and Magazine Cutoff
  14. 08:28Magazine Cutoff Function
  15. 09:21Comparison to Henry Rifle
  16. 10:10Conclusion and Auction Information

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Lamson & Ball Carbine?

The Lamson & Ball Carbine is a Civil War-era repeating carbine designed by Albert Ball and manufactured by E.G. Lamson. It features a lever-action mechanism, an under-barrel tube magazine, and was originally chambered in .44 caliber, later re-tooled for .56-50 rimfire.

Why did the Lamson & Ball Carbine not see combat use?

The carbines were significantly delayed due to retooling for the .56-50 Spencer cartridge. They were not delivered until April/May 1866, after the Civil War had concluded, thus preventing any combat deployment during the conflict.

How does the Lamson & Ball Carbine operate?

Operation involves manually cocking the hammer. The lever action extracts spent casings, and a spring-loaded ejector removes them. Closing the lever chambers the next round from the seven-round under-barrel tube magazine.

What is the significance of the magazine cutoff on the Lamson & Ball Carbine?

The magazine cutoff, an aftermarket addition on the featured example, allows the user to prevent cartridges from feeding from the magazine. This effectively turns the repeating carbine into a single-shot firearm, useful for conserving ammunition or for specific tactical situations.

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