November 3-4, 2017 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/4/2017
The Starr carbine is a .54 caliber single shot, breech-loading percussion carbine. Features a blued five-groove barrel. Frame and lock were case-hardened. The Starr has a walnut forend, and a sling ring on the left side. Weighs 7 lbs 6 oz. The Ordnance Department ordered 600 carbines in July of 1863 and 20,000 in September of the same year. They were issued to the 12th Missouri Cavalry, the 9th Iowa Cavalry, and Merrill's Horse Regiment. Features a dovetail front sight, a military flip-up rear sight, brass barrel band, brass carbine buttplate. Frame and barrel are basically a brown patina with some wiped-on finish added. This particular example has the Arkansas Cavalry mark on top of the barrel. Maker marked on rear tang. Right side is stamped "STARR ARMS COMPANY YONKERS NEW YORK". Wood is very good, slightly shy to metal with some minor chipping on left side of forend. In the early days od the war, many Union men in western Arkansas left the state for southwest Missouri, where they formed the 1st Arkansas Cavalry in the summer of 1862. In the summer of 1864, the 1st Arkansas received over 1,000 Starr carbines, where they operated from Fayetteville, Arkansas. The 1st Arkansas was mustered out of service in August of 1865. This carbine operates fine and has strong rifling. A very good Civil War cavalry ID'd carbine.