Reportedly, 1,022 of these Model 1855 rifled carbines were manufactured by Springfield between April and September of 1855, and eight companies of the U.S. Second Cavalry Regiment were armed with them as of 1858, according to "American Military Shoulder Arms Volume III" by George D. Moller (pages 268-272). Only a very small fraction of the total production survive today, as nearly all saw hard use on the frontier prior to the Civil War, mainly in Texas and New Mexico, and continued use throughout the Civil War. They are the only Model 1855 series arms not equipped with the Maynard primer system and were also typically .54 caliber rather than .58. Among the distinguishing features of these carbines is the trigger guard with a distinctive large sling ring on the rear of the bow, and a ring on the bottom of the barrel attached with a swivel mounted ramrod. The barrel has a blade front sight and two-leaf rear sight, and the walnut stock is fitted with a brass forend cap and otherwise iron fittings. The lock has the federal eagle motif over "US" at center and "SPRING/FIELD/1854" in three lines vertically at the tail, "V/P/(eagle head)" proofs at the upper left breech area of the barrel, "1855" dated barrel tang (common to see differing dates on these as likely factory assembled), faintly legible bordered script inspection cartouche stamped on the left stock flat, crisp small "JH" inspection initials stamped in the bottom of the stock directly behind the lower tang, with "US" marked on top of the buttplate.

Fine with a fresh appearance and well above many of the limited surviving examples, with mostly bright surfaces on the iron with some scattered freckling and light surface pitting, golden aged patina on the brass forend cap, and sharp markings on the lock and barrel. Stock is also fine with attractive raised grain, a crack ahead of the lower tang, a crack between the lock and trigger guard, numerous scattered dents and scratches, a lightly visible cartouche, crisp inspection initials and defined edges. Mechanically fine.