Original British Napoleonic Tower P-1800 Baker Flintlock Rifled Saddle Ring Cavalry Carbine – dated 1805 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic find! Dated 1805, this is one of the only examples of a Baker P-1800 Flintlock Rifled Cavalry Carbine that we have ever seen! These are exceedingly rare, and the design influenced all of the British Saddle-Ring cavalry carbines that were to come after it.

Ezekiel Baker, born 1753, became an accredited supplier to the Board of Ordnance in 1794. One of England’s great firearms innovators, he was best known for his Baker rifle design of 1800. It is a great English Classic immortalized by the “Sharpe” series of books about the 95th Regiment of Foot, written by Bernard Cornwell.

Here is Baker’s own design, as mentioned in Howard Blackmore’s stellar work British Military Firearms 1650 to 1850, first published in 1961. Page 176 shows a plate of the somewhat simplified “Presentation Carbine” of 1822, which lacks the patch box and “captured” ramrod of the model 1800, however the unique pistol grip is iconic.

Our example is just great, it is all brass mounted, with a very nice walnut stock which has a lovely cheek piece on the left side. The left side has a patch box, which opens perfectly, and just in front of it is a faint CROWN / BROAD ARROW / 1805 viewed mark. As this carbine has a real wooden pistol grip, there was no need for the intricate trigger guard used on the rifles. There is a single ramrod pipe with a throat pipe, holding the original captured ramrod.

The just over 20 1/2″ rifled barrel retains its original fixed back sight and British Proof marks of CROWN / GR and the Viewing mark, along with several other Crown markings. There is also the “Crown over Crossed Scepters” of Thomas Ketland of St Catherine St, Weaman Row Birmingham, as well as a stamped E B, for Ezekiel Baker. The flintlock mechanism has the correct CROWN over G.R. with TOWER across the tail, with a “Lock Viewers Mark” under the pan.

Condition of the carbine is very good, showing the expected wear from long age and service. The lock functions correctly, holding at half cock and firing at full. The swivel ramrod works correctly as well, though sometimes it gets stuck on the “spoon” inside the stock. Rotating the rod a bit seems to help it get free. We checked the bore, and the rifling is still clear, though there is definitely oxidation and fouling from service.

These carbines are exceptionally rare, perhaps the rarest of all “Baker Rifles”. Ezekiel Baker died in 1836, a legend even in his own time. This will make a fantastic addition to any British arms collection.

Specifications: 

Year of Production: 1805
Caliber: .69″ Rifled
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball & Powder
Barrel Length: 20 1/2 inches
Overall Length: 36 inches
Action: Side Action Flintlock
Feed System: Muzzle-Loaded

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