Joslyn Carbine M1864
Joslyn Fire Arms Company · Carbine · Out Of Production · 1864
Also known as: Joslyn Second Model Carbine, Model 1864 Joslyn
Overview
The Joslyn Carbine Model 1864 was a single-shot, breech-loading cavalry carbine firing the .52 rimfire metallic cartridge, designed by Benjamin Franklin Joslyn of Massachusetts. Its breechblock pivoted up and to the left on a hinge to expose the chamber; the Model 1864 improved on the earlier 1862 pattern by replacing a friction ball-bearing latch with a more secure spring-locked pull-knob that could not jar open in the field. Over 16,500 Joslyn carbines were contracted by the U.S. government during the Civil War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3400 g (119.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 978 mm (38.50") |
| Barrel Length | 559 mm (22.01") |
| Action Type | Hinged Breechblock |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 366 m/s (1201 fps) |
| Effective Range | 180 m (197 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 550 m (601 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 10 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .52 Rimfire · primary — also known as .52 Joslyn, .56-52 Spencer
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loading
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Hammer, Spring Locked Breechblock
- Features: Pivoting Breechblock, Pull Knob Breech Latch, Metallic Rimfire Cartridge, Saddle Ring
Variants
- Joslyn Carbine Model 1862 — Early Pattern
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1862
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 16,500 · Production years: 1862-1865
Over 16,500 carbines (Models 1862 and 1864 combined) contracted by the U.S. government; built by the Joslyn Fire Arms Company of Stonington, Connecticut
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Benjamin Franklin Joslyn
Discontinued: 1865
Notes
The .52 Joslyn rimfire cartridge was effectively interchangeable with the .56-52 Spencer round. The Model 1862 used a less reliable friction latch that the Model 1864 corrected.
Background
Joslyn's earliest carbines had a friction latch that could spring open if the breechblock was bumped or snagged on a saddle, so the 1864 model added a positive pull-knob lock, a small change born of cavalrymen losing their breech in the heat of a charge.