These carbines were long believed to be by D. C. Hodgkins & Sons, but J.M. Murphy in "Confederate Carbines and Musketoons" confirmed they were by Bilharz, Hall & Co. of Pittsylvania Courthouse, Virginia, in 1863-1864. Estimates of the total manufactured range between 400 and 1,000 (current estimate 750); regardless of the accepted number, all of the surviving examples are very scarce and highly desirable Confederate martial arms. They were clearly based on the also rare U.S. Model 1855 Rifled Carbines that were briefly used by the cavalry and dragoons in the antebellum era and were later captured and used by the Confederacy during the Civil War. However, these Bilharz, Hall & Co. carbines use a swivel mount more similar to the Model 1842 Pistols and Model 1847 Cavalry Musketoons. The only visible marking is a "P" proof on the barrel at the breech, but there are also the correct hidden numbers, "E 58" on the bottom of the barrel and back of the lock. It has a swivel mounted ramrod, "pinched" blade front sight, notch rear sight, brass forend cap (found on the earlier carbines), sling swivel on the back of the trigger guard bow, and a plain stock.

Very good, well above average Confederate weapon, with attractively aged patina on the forend cap, mostly dark brown patina on the iron, some lighter gray artificially aged areas visible on the top of the barrel, mild oxidation and pitting, flash pitted nipple and hammer face, chips in the stock at the breech, a horizontal crack visible in the left flat at the rear lock screw, and moderate overall wear including dings and scratches. Mechanically fine. Overall, a very attractive and difficult to find Confederate carbine.