Gwyn & Campbell Carbine
Gwyn & Campbell · Carbine · Discontinued · 1862
Also known as: Union Carbine, Grapevine Carbine, Cosmopolitan, Gwyn and Campbell
Overview
The Gwyn & Campbell Carbine is a single-shot, breech-loading percussion carbine produced during the American Civil War by Edward Gwyn and Abner Campbell of Hamilton, Ohio. A simplified development of the earlier Cosmopolitan (Gross) design, it was chambered in .52 caliber and loaded a combustible paper or linen cartridge into a breechblock that dropped when the trigger-guard lever was lowered, with ignition from a separate external percussion cap. Roughly 8,200 Cosmopolitan and successor Gwyn & Campbell carbines were delivered to the Union under wartime contracts, and the pattern earned a reputation for being notably reliable and delivered on schedule.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 2950 g (104.1 oz) |
| Overall Length | 990 mm (38.98") |
| Barrel Length | 559 mm (22.01") |
| Action Type | Falling Block |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 290 m/s (951 fps) |
| Effective Range | 180 m (197 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 900 m (984 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .52 Caliber Percussion · primary — also known as .52 cal, .52 caliber combustible cartridge, .52 paper cartridge
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Octagonal Breech Barrel, Dropping Breechblock, Trigger Guard Lever, Folding Rear Sight, Saddle Ring
Service history
Operators
- Union Army · adopted 1862
- 8th Ohio Cavalry · adopted 1863
- Illinois Cavalry Regiments · adopted 1862
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 8,200 · Production years: 1862-1865
About 8,200 Cosmopolitan and successor Gwyn & Campbell carbines were produced in total; an 1863 contract for 10,000 yielded roughly 6,000 deliveries between October 1863 and December 1864.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Edward Gwyn
Discontinued: 1865
Notes
Often grouped with the closely related Cosmopolitan and 'Grapevine' carbines, the Gwyn & Campbell pattern replaced the earlier double-loop enclosed lever with a simpler open trigger-guard lever. An 1863 contract called for 10,000 carbines, of which roughly 6,000 were delivered between October 1863 and December 1864.
Background
Gwyn and Campbell took Henry Gross's 1859 Cosmopolitan breechblock, simplified it, and patented the improvement, in effect displacing Gross from his own invention. The 8th Ohio Cavalry was issued the carbines but reportedly thought little of them, with one officer claiming his troopers 'did the principal part of their fighting with their fists' rather than rely on the guns.