Original British Victorian Saddle Ring Percussion Cavalry Carbine marked to Royal 1st Devonshire Yeomanry Cavalry – dated 1844 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Cavalry carbines such as this are very nice and now very hard to find. This fine example has a 20″ smoothbore barrel in about .65″ caliber, and is fitted with a sliding saddle ring on a 6″ ring bar mounted on the left hand side of the receiver. Intended for domestic use, this would have been used by one of the many cavalry units. It has all brass mounts of a single ramrod pipe, trigger guard and butt plate. The ramrod is also the “captured” type, secured by a swivel mount to muzzle so it can be used while on horseback to reload without fear of dropping the ramrod.

The Percussion lock is well marked on the lock plate with CROWN / V.R. indicating military issue for Queen Victoria. It is also marked TOWER 1844 under this, indicating acceptance at the tower armory in 1844. To the right of this is the CROWNED BROAD ARROW lock viewers mark. The barrel breech bears additional proof marks, which look to be the London CROWN / V viewers mark and the CROWN / GP “gunmakers” proofs. There is also a CROWN / VR proof, as well as ENFIELD 1844, indicating manufacture at the Royal Small Arms factory at Enfield Lock.

The tang of the butt plate is marked with a very nice regimental marking, which reads:

R’L 1’St D.Y.C.
B 40

This would indicate issued to the Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry Cavalry Regiment, company B, 40th weapon. This unit, as with many of the other Volunteer Yeomanry units, was formed during the French Revolution for use in England, should the conflict spread over the English channel. They continue to exist today as reserve units. The Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry was first raised on 15 May 1794 as 1st Devon Troop before being regimented in 1803 as the 1st Devonshire Yeomanry Cavalry. The regiment was renamed as the Royal 1st Devonshire Yeomanry Cavalry in 1871 with Headquarters at Exeter. The Yeomanry Regiments were usually issued with second line or obsolete weapons, so this is exactly the type of cavalry carbine they would have been issued in the late 19th century.

As is correct, there is no front sling swivel, and the rear trigger guard does not look to have been fitted with one, though it was possibly removed. The lock functions correctly, holding at half cock and firing at full. There is only light powder burn around the cap nipple, indicating that it probably did not see significant use in combat.

Overall condition is very good, with a lot of the finish retained on the metalwork. There is a wood graft repair under the fore end, probably a result with the “spoon” in the ramrod channel breaking through, a common repair. The front of the trigger guard is also a loose, as the end of the front retaining tab has broken off, so the pin no longer holds it in place.

A hard to find Cavalry Carbine with some great markings! Ready to research and display!

Specifications: 

Year of Manufacture: 1844
Bore Diameter: about .65 inches
Ammunition Type: Lead Ball and Powder
Barrel Length: 20 inches 
Overall Length: 36 inches
Action: Side Action Percussion Lock
Feed System: Muzzle Loading

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country’s antique gun laws prior to ordering.