Smith Carbine The Civil Wars 4th most popular carbine 

Thanks,Mike. As a footnote: just listened to pod cast on the James gang recounting the Northfield Raid that has a citizen medical student pulling an old Smith carbine of the nearby hotel wall with four cartridges, proceeded to second floor window and proceeded to cut up the gang with fifty cal slugs. Jim Younger's right elbow was shattered with one shot.

I’ve been thinking about getting one for ages. The only percussion civil war carbine I have is the Gallagher. What is your opinion on that carbine?

Fascinating rifle; it's always cool to see how arms tech was evolving in that era. And even cooler to see you put it to use! Thank you for your work on this channel!

Thanks Mike, While I have retired from Cavalry reenacting, back in 2012, at the 150th Shiloh, our unit (normally a CS unit - 7th TN., Co. D) portrayed the 11th Illinois and I have a Smiths that I used on occasion. Good to know that they were one of the units that were issued the Smiths back in the day. While Shiloh (April '62) may have been earlier than they were issued, still cool to know.

I have had the pleasure of shooting an original Smith Carbine when I was skirmishing with the N-SSA.

I was alittle too fast with the Sharp's question. You mentioned the Sharps seconds after I asked. I think you read my mind. Thanks Mike.

Never knew of this carbine before ! I really do learn so much from your channel ! Thanks Mr Bellevue!

Finally subscribed to your patreon, sorry for the delay! My wife and I love your content and always look forward to more!

Thanks Mike great video. I had an original Smith back in the late 70"s and it was a dead on shooter. I really enjoyed it, I hope you have as much fun with yours as I did with mine. Keep an eye on the brass plunger as the T can get loose over time.

This really seems like something that would have influenced the designs of early break action shotguns. Very cool gun.

Pretty fine find, but the thing I am most amazed by is that you are still shooting at duelist den late into December Mountain man

Another fascinating weapon of the Slaveholders' Rebellion. I remember hearing about a gun that used a rubber cartridge, and I thought for sure it was super rare, and like the rimfires, impossible to get ammo for. Good to know that isn't the case. These early experiments with cartridges are so cool.

Another great video Mike. You are my favorite history teacher. You have the knowledge and the skill.

Great video, Mike. Entertaining and educational as usual. I'm looking forward to seeing more videos in the New Year. Thank you sir, for your dedication and commitment to the hobby.

Very nice carbine! It is somewhat similar to a Burnside in my opinion, should be about the same ballistics and rate of fire. Lodgewood sells excellent cartridges for the Burnside, machined brass. I've yet to see a Smith carbine in the shops though I have found a nice Burnside and a Spencer reproduction which I did buy. The Spencer is in .45 Schofield, basically shortened .45 Colt rounds. The Civil War era brought in a lot of innovation in firearms, interesting firearms to collect.

I liked the Henry rifle better than all the others mentioned here except for the Spencer. Nice historical presentation; thanks Mike. Evil Roy keeps on coming back for more; that's dedication! O R, Happy Christkwanzhanukkah Mike.

Beautiful old carbine. Thanks for posting, and thanks for keeping the world safe from Evil Roy and his henchmen.

That you had on Yankee uniform the icing on the cake

Merry Christmas and happy new year Mike! I got my kirst conversion for my uberti navy, and a 150gr double cavity heel based mold for .38 so now I have to make some ammo. Seeya soon enjoy all of your videos.

Thanks. I really never knew that they existed until your last video. I loved the stats on the number sold as well as the ranking. You make it entertaining when you shoot Evil Roy, Swinging Sam and The Circle Gang. It should be fun or what's a point. Take care.

Thank You Mike, Happy New Year!

Love the video

Buttermilk Falls is cool, why mess with it? I moved to a small rural town in Kentucky on Bacon Creek, the town used to have the same name, that's kinda cool, who doesn't like bacon. They changed it to Bonneville during the uncival war, the Confederate raider Morgan twisted up the RR tracks here, there's a sign commemorating it.

Great video, I like that carbine, have a happy New Year.

What a beautiful rifle

Impressive rifle Mike. I was wondering if you would do a video about the 1875 Lee vertical action carbine ? This is one fantastic rifle that I think your viewers would get a kick out of.

Great show Mike! Happy Rootin, Tootin Shootin New Year!

Mike your authenticity and historical attention to detail is beyond reproach However a Union rifleman would be making “Evil Roy-Bob” dance🦊 Or alternately “Swinging Reb Sam”!

Fun and interesting story. That split chamber is bizarre - it requires a flexible cartridge right?

Thank You Mike for doing this series on the Smith Carbine. The detail is very helpful. Sighting over the barrel always makes me wonder who was sighting over the same barrel years ago. Thank You Again for the great video. Happy New Year!

Fourth most popular in the war, but first in popularity amongst North-South Skirmish Association competitors. Great Carbines!

If my previous weapon had been a muzzle loader, one would have been purely delighted to have it.

Well it looks like you got it all zeroed in unless you cut it out I didn't hear one miss. It didn't look like it kicked that bad but you brought it up that it didn't but it sure didn't make a big ding on that gong. Hope you have a safe and happy New Year. Stay vigilant!

A hand full of years ago I was on a service call at a guy's house. I noticed a reproduction Smith carbine hanging on his wall, along with some other cavalry items. I said something like, "Neat, a Smith carbine. Do you shoot it much?". He replied that he had never shot it and was kind of afraid to shoot it since he had never shot black powder firearms before and he was told horror stories about them blowing up if not loaded right. I told him that the Smith is very easy to load and shoot and he should give it a try one of these days. He then informed me that he purchased the reproduction Smith because a distant uncle of his was killed at the Battle of Platte Bridge (July 26, 1865) and through his research, some of the 11th Ohio cavalry were issued Smiths. My book indicates that the 11th Ohio had on hand 108 Smiths in 1864. The history associated with these firearms is half of the joy in shooting them (reproductions or originals). I'm glad you were able to get an old war horse up and running again.

You gotta respect the immortal bad guys like Evil Roy, Swinging Sam and his buddies. They don't get killed but, they do stop their shenanigans at least temporarily after getting shot. That good stuff.

Sure could use you and your Smith at the N-SSA, great video.

Hi Mike will you be doing any videos on how to clean the Smith Carbine.

Nice little rifle love to get that out hunting .had a friend who had his grandad's sharps .used it to hunt till he died at 96 yrs

I don't know when you filmed this but your weather is better than ours here in Ohio 😂. Can't wait to get out and shoot with the thaw coming today. Good video Mike, glad your having fun.

Another Great video Mike! Sure have a fondness for those Smith carbines. Still on the hunt for my own original. Hope you had a great Christmas! Happy New year!

1:26 before the age of corporate dominance, and bureaucratic insanity.

I have a reproduction Smith currently in the shop. It needs a higher front sight and it would not stay on full cock unless I pushed the trigger forward. It shot well just needs repair and a higher front sight. I have an original Maynard that shoots like a dream. Would you consider a video on the Maynard. I used reduced load cases from Lodgewood.

Mr...Belaviue, welcome...back, we've...missed you. Never fear, SMITH is here!!

Buttermilk Falls is a cool town name lol

Been looking forward to this video. Thanks for doing it Mike.

Thanks for vid Mike. According stories about J.James Springfield robbery in 1876 , one of the robbers was shot by 50 cal. Smith. Henry Wheeler shot from upstairs and the robber fall to ground. I guess the slug used was around 340 grains, and velocity around 1000-1100 fps . Do you know ballistics about Smith ? Regards. Rudi Rafael

Really interesting review! Thank you, Mike. Blessed new year to you!

Well done! I like it, too.

I Would like to see a comparison with a Second Model Maynard. I know the Maynard is fun to shoot, and so easy to clean.

Thank you

Have you ever seen or used a Punt Gun. I know the use of these guns was outlawed but they were used by commercial hunters hunting water fowl. I am not sure, I don't know a lot about them . Have a good day.

I will have to check them out I have an 1855 Springfield by Chiappa that needs some work.

Hope you had a great Christmas as well mike.

hi, Mike !!! good video like everytime and more better than that make before ... Merry Christmas ... and Happy New Year ... 😉👋 🌞🌾

Hi Mike! A very genius design using the rubber bullets to help provide a seal. Do you ever have the cartridges melt on you or get very hot after firing? And how does the rubber react with fouling? Been wondering for a while if they might be any issues there. Lovely, informative video as always!

Dale Evans did choose the name Buttermilk for her horse.

My Great Great Grandfather served in the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment, Company D. He came home with his pistol, carbine and saber. The pistol and carbine (type unknown) are lost to time but I have the saber. His unit was reported to have used both the Smith and the Sharps but I do not have dates or details.

In my home town there is a location called butter factory hill. There actually was a butter factory there a century and a half ago. To get there you turn off Main Street onto Butter Factory Hill Road. Of course.

It looks like it would be relatively easy to clean like a modern break action was a loader.

Happy and healthy New Year to all. India rubber fact: Samuel P. Colt, the nephew of Samuel Colt, from Bristol, Rhode Island, was a rubber mogul from what I understand. I bet he had profited from the Smith cartridge's use of rubber cases. BTW, Bristol has the oldest 4th of July parade, a park once owned by Colt on the bay, and was the last home of Anthony Quinn. Colt's white marble home and the bridge he built are something to see. Mike's channel gives me the opportunity to spread my useless facts, LOL.

Its interesting how the use of India rubber was used for the cartridge. The french chassepot used an India rubber plug to obdurate(sic?) Their paper cartridge as the chassepot was a needle rifle. The Smith carbines used the rubber for the same purpose. I'm not saying that Smith knew about the chassepot, but its interesting that the idea happened twice on two different continents at about the same time. The same material was used for the same purpose In two very different ways. I love the way history hits ya upside the head sometimes.

I wonder how readily it will take the modern .50 cal muzzleloading conicals so common now. That could open up interesting prospects.

Great video! I see you found a Good looking sack coat! The unlocking of the breach is a very simple design.

hey buddy nice to see ya, hope you have a good New Year

Swingin' Sam and the Circle Gang were often holed up with the James Gang!

That's a really neat rifle, and it definitely has me intrigued. Thanks for taking the time to make the video and i hope you had a great Christmas, and have a Happy New Year!

Despite Mike saying it’s nice shooter without an overly heavy kick it’s still 50 calibre ! Ouch ! That’s a pretty big cartridge I imagine there’s a fair amount of black powder in it as well. And I love those “original” or I guess authentic packaging. Nicely done Mike ! You’re a hero just because you can bring all these neat old guns PS I’m sure Evil Roy is kinda done with you though 😂

You talked about the problems with gas sealing in these breechloaders... did the rubber cartridge, the recessed and split breech, and the convex/concave surfaces work? You didn't really say whether it was effective at sealing though it appears so. Thanks for a great video, as always.

In 1974 I had a mint origional I'm talking as new and used it as a civil war reenactment firearm. 7th Fla Cavalry. This LONG BEFORE any replicas were made. I would call it as new. Traded it to my friend the reenactment unit Captain a dead ringer for Gen Stonewall Jackson. Fantastic carbine.. I will kick myself for that trade. .52 cal as I understand have a safe New Years and prosperous

Your Smith is in very good condition.

Very cool! Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year!

That’s a really nice carbine. Thanks for sharing and taking the effort to make this awesome video.

Enjoyed the video, you come up the most interesting guns. Are confederate captured guns valued more than union ones.

I’ve got one of the reproductions made by Pietta, it works very well, I’ve used the brass cartridges as well as the plastic type & both shoot without problem although I did have to open the hole a little on the brass case to make it more reliable. Thanks for the video Mike, I’m going to look for an original one now.

Love this video thanks for this video.

have ever made a video on how to use sights on hand guns and rifles ?

I am amazed how effective that little carbine is. Nice shootin'!

Excellent video MIke. I love hearing about the transition weapons that fall between cap N ball and cartridge rifles

6:25 that begs the question, can you 3d print them?

I love mine from Pietta

The cartridges were waterproof, durable and field reloadable. The only other civil war carbines that could match that would be the Maynard and the Morse.

Thanks for another super interesting video Mike. How would you compare the Smith to the Sharps overall?

32 Ford, you made me laugh out loud.

Thanks,Mike! Great video. Always thought that the Smith was pretty Neat-Oh.

There's actually multiple buttermilk falls in new york. There's two just in the Adirondack park alone.

That was great as usual, nice to see it operate to just seeing a picture and reading about it. Can't wait for the next one! 🤠

I don't think the Spencer could be beat as a cavalry weapon, although the Army replaced it with the Trapdoor Springfield before the Battle of the Little Bighorn. I like the Rolling Block for a single-shot, but that's not a Civil War weapon. Foreign militaries bought the Rolling Block, but the U.S. chose the Trapdoor Springfield over the Rolling Block.

The Sharps with the fully integrated cartridge including percussion charge was so clearly superior I'm surprised the Smith and Burnside were even considered. Messing around with percussion caps while in a fight-and sometimes on horseback-seems an onerous task. The Spencer was the best Civil War carbine of course, but that didn't come along until later. Thank God for Abe Lincoln giving it his blessing.

Thanks for the video Mike. The Smith is definitely on my short list of black powder rifles.

Thank you for a great historical lesson!

I didn’t hear you mention it turning your hands black! I had an original that had a bit of leakage that always turned my index finger black. Then I bought a pietta which was actually worse! I couple hits with a center punch on the boss that engages the latch spring helped, but it still was a problem for me.

Is this another instance of "Originals rare stateside but readily available in Yurp because Franco-Prussian war?" Asking for a friend...

In my home state there's a dairy company called "Highland" who definitely makes good buttermilk, among all the other kinds of milk, cheeses, and yogurt. Their cottage cheese is unbeatable.

The cartridge was prone to misfires, as a result of the gun powder leaking out of the rubber casing, which had an opening in the butt end to allow the cap spark to reach the powder in the cartridge. That was especially true for loose rounds carried in a ready pouch. Additionally, this gun required rigorous cleaning maintenance to ensure that the breech and nipple were free of residue. Poor maintenance was observed in cases where 4 or more caps were used to finally get a shot off, and this was attributed to dirty/fouled nipple channels. At least one regiment insisted that their issue Smith carbines be replaced due to poor performance in the field, and they were replaced with Spencers. This was also the regiment with the most egregious evidence of poor cleaning routines and poor ammo storage, so the troopers made a large contribution to the poor performance. Having said that, making weapons soldier proof has long been a key strategy of supplying arms to the troops, and the Spencer's cased ammunition with integral primers solved many problems common to all of the early breech loaders. Proper cleaning regimens and proper stowage and handling of the ammunition allowed this carbine to fire 12-14 aimed rounds per minute, with the advantage of being relatively easy to reload the break action carbine while in the saddle.

I have a request for a RU-vid video a detailed video on percussion muzzleloader

Happy New Year, Mike!!

Very nice. Like it a lot. I can ride a horse or I can shoot a carbine - not sure I could do both at the same time. My hat is off to our ancestors not sure how they managed that.

Great Video. Glad I found you as I am also a York County boy! Thanks neighbor.

Great work!! I own and shoot an original Smith, one of my favorite guns to shoot in competition.

Hi from Syracuse NY brother and Happy New Year to you and your family