Carbine serial # search

[Carlsr]

Received my 1873 carbine today, needs a lot more cleaning than I thought but so far I have gotten the paint off the stock and am working on the metal parts.
To my surprise when I pulled the hammer back the serial read 176342 star. I was not informed that it was a stared carbine.
Would there happen to be any information for this serial #
Thanks

[Tom Trevor]

Nothing for that number a few carbines in that general area went to Texas signal corp units during the Spanish war.

[Carlsr]

Thank You Tom,
I sent an e mail to the NJ national guard archives. Maybe they will have some information on it since it is NJ marked?
Maybe one day I'll find a rifle with documentation??? I won't hold my breath Though ; ) Her is a photo with it all cleaned up.IMG_20190922_154242024.jpgIMG_20190922_154651766.jpg

[Dick Hosmer]

Carl, 176275 and 176379 are both shown as starred carbines in the Branum archives.

[Carlsr]

Thanks Dick, looks like I'm in the close but no cigar range. What exactly does the star mean? I have read that they are arms repaired with parts from rifles turned in Bellow serial numbers 50,000. Mine has an early barrel that has a V/P/Eagle but no P. There is a very small stamp under the barrel but can't make it out. Lock plate seems to match the serial number and the trigger is serated not smooth.

[Dick Hosmer]

The star arms were assembled as a separate budget item allotted to "arming the militia". They took the turned in parts and fitted them to new actions, barrels and stocks. The serrated triggers were not available in 1881/82, so that parts has been changed at some later date. The star arms almost always had 1873-dated lockplates and early coarse-knurled hammers. The receivers were purpose-run as a lot, or lots, with the star included in the number spacing/centering. The mark was not added afterwards. There has never been a "duplicate" number (star & no star) reported. The arms (mostly carbines with just a smattering of rifles and even a few cadets) were not counted in the annual totals of arms produced, leading to a confusing and annoying anomaly where serials vs. year of production tables diverge. The barrel mark is probably a tilde (~) as that was known to have been used by SA.

[Carlsr]

Thanks for the information Dick,
I figured the trigger was wrong so that I will be changing. The lock which I thought was correct is not. It was quite dirty and after cleaning I noticed that it has a large shield but no date. I believe it is a type 3 lock plate. Al had several stared carbines on his site, 3 in total and all have different lock plates. One is dated 1873, another has a small shield and yet another has the large shield. I figure mine was changed out when fitted with the Buffington site and M90 band but who Knows?? The front sight is correct for the buffington sight but the pin is rather long. I asked Al about it yesterday and seems to be for the spring type sight cover that pins on through the sight blade. I will be getting one from him shortly along with a cleaning rod.
The carbine also has a aluminum bronze firing pin.

[Dick Hosmer]

I suspect it was refurbed for the SAW, and they just did what was necessary - odd about the trigger, although I think they broke down bunches of guns and reassembled them at random.

[Carlsr]

Al has 176350 listed in book one. There is a chapter on known stared arms. Getting closer!!!

[Fred]

Cool!