Page 166 - 83-BOOK1

Samuel Remington
LOT 215
Incredibly Rare and Highly Desirable Documented Merrill, Latrobe & Thomas Breech Loading Percussion Saddle Ring Carbine Manufactured by Samuel
Remington for U.S. Trials - Serial no. 80, 54 cal., 21 3/16 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. On July 26, 1855, the Chief of Ordnance ordered 170 of these rare breech loading percussion saddle ring carbines from the firm of James Merrill, Ferdinand C. Latrobe and Philip E. Thomas of Baltimore, Maryland, who contracted with Samuel Remington to complete the manufacturing. These carbines were purchased by the U.S. Ordnance Department and issued for field trials to the 5th Squadron of the 1st Regiment of Cavalry. It features a faucet breech mechanism with a manual rammer used to force the cartridge forward into the breech, and there
is a hole in the bottom of the receiver for the sheared off end of a paper cartridge to fall out upon closing
the breech. A U.S. patent (number 14,077) was granted to James H. Merrill on January 4, 1856, although he would have submitted it earlier. Merrill also had an identical British patent (number 2329) dated October 18, 1855. Flayderman’s Guide (9B-079) states, “The fact that Samuel Remington was the manufacturer adds to
the collector importance of this extreme rarity. Among the important mechanical features of this model was the rammer mounted in the rear section of the breech (within the stock wrist) used to push the combustible cartridge into the barrel. Another distinct detail is in the use of a Maynard primer.”This exact carbine is photographed in Arms Heritage magazine volume 2, issue 5 article “Merrill, Latrobe and Thomas Carbines”
by Edward Hull and Frank Harrington in which the plate 5 photograph caption states, “The contract type carbine has a .54 caliber barrel 21-3/16 long (measured down the barrel to the face of the cylinder). A ramrod is suspended below the barrel. The back action lock includes a Maynard primer mechanism. This sample is representative of the type but has a block rear sight, which may represent Col. Craig’s desire for a ‘compact sight.’ (George Moller collection and photo).” The other limited known surviving examples have a Sharps ladder rear sight as Colonel Craig originally requested, but he changed his mind a month later.
164
Collector’s Fact
Only 170 of these rare Merrill, Latrobe & Thomas saddle ring carbines were manufactured. The work was contracted to Samuel Remington, and the carbines were then submitted for field trials to the 1st Regiment of Cavalry.
AS PICTURED AND DESCRIBED IN "ARMS HERITAGE" VOL. II, ISSUE 5