These arms were manufactured between 1861-1865 using machinery captured from the Harpers Ferry Armory in April of 1861 and moved to Confederate ordnance facilities in Richmond, Virginia. This carbine has the distinctive "humpback" lock made from forgings and dies, taken from Harpers Ferry Armory, which were originally patterned for locks intended for use with the Maynard tape priming system on the U.S. Model 1855 rifled musket. Richmond Armory had no use for the priming device, so to speed up production they merely used the old dies. The lock is dated "1863" at the tail and marked "C.S./RICHMOND,VA." towards the front. The left quarter barrel flat is correctly marked with the "V/P/eagle head" proofs (faint/partial). The carbine was originally finished armory bright with a casehardened lock. Pinched blade iron front sight and modern replacement folding leaf rear sight. The carbine is mounted in a full length straight grip stock with a modern replacement tulip head iron ramrod, modern replacement iron forend cap, and "US" marked iron buttplate. Absent rear sling swivel with an empty hole in the bottom of the buttstock. A design is carved on the left of the buttstock.

Fair with general overall wear consistent of Confederate use, scattered brown patina and light pitting, and mild flash pitting at the breech. Stock is also fair as lightly sanded and re-oiled with scattered scratches, dents, chips, replacement spliced forend sections starting ahead of the lock, a few small spliced repaired sections, and carving as mentioned above. Iron forend cap, ramrod, front barrel band and rear sight are modern replacements. Mechanically fine.