Gallager carbine, .50 caliber. Philadelphia: Richardson and Overman, ca 1860-1865. Overall 39 in. Barrel 22 in. Lock stamped: "Gallager Patented July 17th 1860" alongside "Manuftd. by Richardson & Overman, Philada.." and serial number "9269". Butt stock twice carved with initials- “A. E. J,” and the second is nearly indecipherable.

A fine example of a Gallager carbine in .50 caliber, a privately patented weapon that saw extensive use by U.S. cavalry troops during the Civil War. It was invented by South Carolina native Mahlon J. Gallager, who developed the weapon during his residence in Savannah, Georgia, in July 1860. Gallager licensed the design to Richardson and Overman of Philadelphia at the start of the war and began selling arms to the federal government on August 31, 1861.

Nearly 18,000 Gallager carbines were produced for the U.S. government between 1861 and 1865. Despite being widely purchased and issued, Union soldiers frequently raised complaints that the brass-jacketed cartridges were difficult to remove from the barrel after firing. Gallager maintained that his breech-loading mechanism, as designed, facilitated easy removal of the casings. In reality, the extraction method was a glaring defect of the weapon. This carbine shows honest use, with browning of the metal components and frame, along with minor pitting.

[Civil War, Union, Confederate, Guns, Arms, Armaments, Rifles, Revolver, Pistols, Longarms, Carbines, Militaria]