Maynard Mass Arms
Calibre .50
MAYNARD CARBINE
Lever-action single shot .50 caliber carbine, closely resembling the Gallagher carbine. The Union Army purchased 20,000 of these carbine for its cavalry during the Civil War. The Confederacy also used intensively a previous model of this carbine. When the trigger guard is pulled down, the barrel slides forward and inclinates forward, exposing the breech for loading.
Unlike the Gallagher, this carbine fired a brass metallic cartridge provided with a broad lip, that prooved very esay to eject after firing. The Gallagher fired a combustible catridge but also a brass one without any lip, that prooved very difficult to eject.
The Maynard was manufactured by the Massachussets Arms Company of Chicopee Falls, under Maynard license.
Maynard, a dentist, invented the tape-primer system, which is still in use today in toy guns. The system was patented in February, 1845 and was used on various firearms, among which the 1858 Sharps carbine and a scarce .28 caliber revolver, also manufactured by the Massachussets Arms Company.
Marcel
Photos autorisées par "ANTIQUEFIREARMS"
Maynard - Massachussets Arms C°
Percussion revolver manufactured by the Massachussets Arms Co, .28 caliber, featuring the Maynard tape-primer system.
Less than 3000 made, from 1855
Marcel
