Greene Carbine
Massachusetts Arms Company · Carbine · Out Of Production · 1855
Also known as: Greene's Patent Carbine, Massachusetts Arms Greene Carbine, Greene Breech-Loading Carbine
Overview
The Greene Carbine is a single-shot, breech-loading percussion carbine patented in 1854 by Lt. Col. James Durrell Greene and manufactured by the Massachusetts Arms Company of Chicopee Falls. Chambered in .54 caliber and feeding a combustible paper or linen cartridge, it used an unusual rotating-barrel breech in which the barrel turned 90 degrees to lock two large lugs into the frame. A forward trigger released the breech catch while the rear trigger fired the piece, and the Maynard tape priming system channeled the cap's flame through a centrally mounted needle into the powder charge. About 300 were purchased by the U.S. Army following an 1854 trial, and the type saw limited Civil War service with units such as the 6th Ohio Cavalry.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3400 g (119.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 762 mm (30.00") |
| Barrel Length | 558 mm (21.97") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 290 m/s (951 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 970 J (715 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 180 m (197 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 700 m (766 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 3 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Browned |
Calibers
- .54 Greene · primary — also known as .54 caliber, .54 Greene paper cartridge, .53 caliber
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loading
- Features: Rotating Barrel Breech, Twin Locking Lugs, Maynard Tape Primer, Dual Trigger Breech Release, Needle Fired Paper Cartridge
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1855
- 6th Ohio Cavalry Regiment
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Production years: 1855-1857
Approximately 300 carbines were purchased by the U.S. Army; a larger British contract was ordered but never fielded.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: James Durrell Greene
Discontinued: 1857
Notes
The U.S. military found the rotating-barrel loading sequence too awkward to operate on horseback, which curtailed further orders. A larger British contract intended for the Cape Mounted Rifles was never fielded after ammunition development problems.
Background
James Greene patented his rotating-barrel carbine in 1854 and demonstrated it to the U.S. Ordnance Department, which praised its accuracy but judged the multi-step loading sequence too tricky for mounted troops, earning the gun a reputation as a clever design defeated by battlefield practicality.