Palmer Carbine
E.G. Lamson & Company · Carbine · Out Of Production · 1865
Also known as: Palmer Model 1865, Lamson Palmer Carbine
Overview
The Palmer Carbine is a single-shot, breech-loading bolt-action carbine chambered for the .56-50 Spencer rimfire metallic cartridge. Designed by William Palmer (patent secured December 22, 1863) and manufactured by E.G. Lamson & Company of Windsor, Connecticut, it was the first bolt-action firearm and the first metallic-cartridge breechloader formally adopted by the United States Army Ordnance Department. The turning bolt locked the breech while a side-mounted hammer struck the cartridge rim. Roughly 1,000 examples were delivered, but they arrived too late to see combat in the American Civil War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3402 g (120.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 943 mm (37.13") |
| Barrel Length | 508 mm (20.00") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | None |
| Muzzle Velocity | 366 m/s (1201 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1521 J (1122 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 180 m (197 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 550 m (601 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 4 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .56-50 Spencer · primary — also known as .50 Rimfire, .56-50 Spencer Rimfire, 56-50
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loading
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: First Us Army Bolt Action, Metallic Cartridge, Side Mounted Hammer, Iron Sights
Service history
Operators
- United States Army Ordnance Department · adopted 1865
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,001 · Production years: 1865
Approximately 1,000 carbines produced under an 1864 U.S. government contract; deliveries began June 1865, after hostilities ended, so the type saw no combat service.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: William Palmer
Discontinued: 1865
Notes
Sources vary on the exact chambering, citing .50, .54, or .56-50 Spencer rimfire; the .56-50 Spencer is the cartridge most commonly associated with the carbine. The Palmer is historically significant as the first bolt-action design adopted by the U.S. Army.
Background
Though it arrived too late for the war it was built to fight, the Palmer Carbine holds a quiet place in firearms history as the very first bolt-action weapon and first metallic-cartridge breechloader adopted by the U.S. Army, decades before bolt actions came to dominate military rifles.