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This unique rubber cartridge cased Smith carbine bullet was invented by Gilbert Smith in 1857. It was made of vulcanized india-rubber or india-rubber cloth. Smith's cavalry carbine was a single shot .50 calibre weapon and was the war's 4th most popular carbine. The US government purchased over 30,000 of them. The Smith "broke" open at the breech for easy loading, weighed only 7 1/2 pounds, and was a reliable firearm, though some complained that after repeated firing extraction of the heated rubber casing could be challenging. The rubber casing was replaced by a rolled paper cartridge which alleviated the problem. This example was unearthed in a crate of Smith carbine bullets years ago in an early war site by relic hunter Ron Rigney. It remains intact and undamaged. Non-dug specimens sell for as much as $275.00.

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If you have ordered an antique weapon or artifact from our website please be advised that these guns are sold strictly as collectible antiques. Nccivilwarrelics.com recommends that these relics and weapons be enjoyed and appreciated for their historical significance and not ever fired. By ordering you are acknowledging these facts, warnings and assume full responsibility for your personal actions with regard to them.

We DO NOT sell modern guns, all our inventory will be pre 1898 and are classified by the (ATF) Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms as antiques and require no government paperwork to own.