Original British Private Purchase P-1853 Enfield Rifle by T.W. Murray of Cork Converted to 24 ½” Barrel Snider Carbine Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very interesting Snider conversion carbine with a 24 ½” barrel, which looks to have began life as a full length 3rd Model P-1853 “3-Band” rifle. In this case it was a private purchase example, marked on the lock plate with T. W. MURRAY, for the famous T.W. Murray of Cork, Ireland, an outfitter that is still in operation today! The top of the barrel is also marked with T. W. MURRAY CORK behind the rear sight, which is definitely for a rifle.

Additionally, the barrel bears clear British Proof Marks, indicating it was most likely made under contract for Murray. They are proof marks from Birmingham, England, including the CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / BPC “proof” and CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / V “viewed” marks. There is also the CROWN / BP definitive proof, and two 25 markings, indicating “25 bore” or about .571″. This city had a large gunmaking industry during the period, making many firearms for export, many of which went to the United States, which was involved in the Civil War at this time. They also made them for outfitters such as Murray, which is why this example does not have any crown on the tail of the lock.

At some point after original production, the rifle was converted using the Snider breech loading system, and also cut down from the original 55 inches to a 42 ½ inch long carbine. The Snider breech looks to be a Mk I* or MkII version, but is only marked with the Snider S Arrow proof on the “shoe”, with SNIDER’S PATENT on the breech block itself. There is also a Birmingham CROWN / CROSSED SCEPTERS / V “viewed” marking on the shoe. Looking at the front of the stock, a filled cleaning rod channel can be seen.  There is also a plugged sling swivel hole on the butt stock, as well as a removed sling swivel evident on the front of the trigger guard. There also looks to be some type of plugged hole on the butt stock just under the trigger guard tang, possibly from some kind of loop or sling.

The carbine is really in very good condition, showing only light wear, and it still retains much of the original finish. The lock functions correctly, the breech opens and ejects, and the rear sight is intact with the slider, though it not the correct sight for a carbine. We checked the bore, and it is actually bright and shiny, still showing clear three groove rifling. It does not actually look to have seen much service at all during its life.

A very interesting Snider Carbine, made from a Private purchase P-1853 Enfield retailed in Cork, Ireland. Definitely some great research potential here.

Specifications (Rifle):-

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1860 – Converted Later
Caliber: .58 inches
Ammunition Type: .577 Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 24 ½ inches
Overall Length: 42 ½ inches
Action: Side Action Lock
Feed System: Side Hinge Rotating Breech block

More on the P-1853 Rifle-Musket: The Enfield Pattern 1853 rifle-musket (also known as the Pattern 1853 Enfield, P53 Enfield, and Enfield rifle-musket) was a .577 calibre Minié-type muzzle-loading rifle-musket, used by the British Empire from 1853 to 1867, after which many Enfield 1853 rifle-muskets were converted to (and replaced in service by) the cartridge-loaded Snider-Enfield rifle.

The term “rifle-musket” originally referred to muskets with the smooth-bored barrels replaced with rifled barrels. The length of the barrels were unchanged, allowing the weapons to be fired by rank, since a long rifle was necessary to enable the muzzles of the second rank of soldiers to project beyond the faces of the men in front. The weapon would also be sufficiently long when fitted with a bayonet to be effective against cavalry. Such guns manufactured with rifled barrels, muzzle loading, single shot, and utilizing the same firing mechanism, also came to be called rifle-muskets.

The 39 in (99 cm) barrel had three grooves, with a 1:78 rifling twist, and was fastened to the stock with three metal bands, so that the rifle was often called a “three band” model.

History of the Snider rifle– Jacob Snider, an American from New York, developed this breech loading system for the P-1853 Enfield, the most prolific imported Percussion rifle in use by both the North and South during the U.S. Civil War. When the British Board of Ordnance appointed a Select Committee in 1864 the Snider system was swiftly adopted with the first breech loaders being issued in 1865 to British forces.

Improved in 1867 by the use of Colonel Boxer’s center fire brass bodied cartridge, the rifle was used very effectively in the Abyssinian Campaign of 1868. The system utilized a hinged breech block with an internal firing pin assembly that permitted the use of a self contained cartridge of lead bullet in cardboard, and, after 1867, brass casing. This highly efficient conversion system prolonged the active life of the P-1853 rifles up until 1871 when the Martini System was adopted. Snider rifles saw continued use throughout the Empire but were officially obsoleted by the late 1880s.

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