This Volcanic Pistol-Carbine was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company circa 1858 using components produced by the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company. The pistol carbine has a .41 caliber, 16-inch octagon barrel with integral magazine, distinctive brass receiver and cocking lever with round finger hole. The back strap has a hole to accept a detachable shoulder stock l, and the butt is fitted with an inverted, knurled, round head adjusting screw. The barrel has a nickel-silver front sight blade. A fixed, pinch-back rear sight is mounted on the receiver. The top of the receiver is cast with the indentation found on Volcanic carbines equipped with the thumb wheel adjustable rear sight. The two-piece grips are oil-finished rosewood. The frame and back strap are decorated with open scrollwork that is typically found on factory engraved Volcanic firearms. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped: "NEW HAVEN CONN./CAST STEEL/PATENT 1854 FEB. 14 1854" with some double stamping and faint traces of the original "Volcanic Repeating Arms" legend. This legend was altered following the reorganization of the company by Oliver Winchester as the New Haven Arms Company in April 1857. The serial number, "15", is stamped on the left side of the frame underneath the grip and on the left side of the cocking lever. The inside of the grips are stamped "L" and "R" but lack the serial numbers usually stamped on the inside of Volcanic grips. The barrel has the "Type II" rib used on Volcanic Repeating Arms Company pistol-carbines. The barrel was originally blued, and the hammer, trigger and lever are color casehardened. Volcanic Pistol-Carbines manufactured by the New Haven Arms Company are extremely rare. The few New Haven Arms Volcanic Pistol-Carbines that exist were apparently assembled by the New Haven Arms Company using components manufactured by the Volcanic Repeating Arms Company with altered markings. The New Haven Arms Company did not continue the pistol-carbine as a regular production item. This may be the lowest serial number New Haven Arms Company pistol-carbine extant. Volcanic lever-action pistols and carbines were a key step in the development of American firearms. The combinations of a lever action, integral spring-loaded magazine and self-contained cartridge were a revolutionary development in firearms design. Ownership of Volcanic Repeating Arms introduced shirt maker Oliver Winchester to firearms manufacturing. The evolution of the Volcanic lever action and integral magazine paved the way for the design of the Henry rifle and the Winchester Model 1866, 1873 and 1876 rifles. A letter of evaluation by noted firearm historian R.L. Wilson is included with the pistol.

Good. The pistol has small amounts of the original color casehardened finish on the sides of the hammer and lever. The brass frame has an attractive, patina with crisp engraving. The receiver has scattered dark age spotting. The barrel has a silver-gray patina with sharp edges. There is moderate pitting along the left side of the magazine and scattered light pitting on the barrel and right side of the magazine. The barrel legend is faint but legible. The rosewood grips are modern replacements. This is a solid representative example of the rarest of all Volcanic firearm variations.