Richmond Carbine Muzzle Outer Muzzle Diameter

[Joe Owen]

Hi, I am building a Richmond carbine with a Richmond Armory style barrel, not a barrel from a cut down 40" barrel.

Were these barrels made especially for the carbine in the Richmond armory smaller in diameter at the muzzle than a cut down barrel?

If so does anyone know what the diameter at the muzzle tip was?

Thanks,
Joe

[Rebel Dave]

Hi Joe
I have 2 custom made Richmond Carbines. I don't have an original to compare too. It is my understanding that the carbines barrels were made from damaged, or un-useable full length (40in) rifle musket bbls. Some of these barrels were used to make the various "Richmond Rifle" bbls, that were from 30-33 inch in length. If they could not be used for that, I think they were used for carbines. They were made at the Richmond Armoury.

The BBLs on my carbine have the following measurements.
at front sight, at back band, at rear sight.
Harmon/large BBL .836 .964 1.048

Whitacre BBL .838 .971 1.077

Hope this helps. I have made these two carbines, and a few others over the years. Richmond Carbines are a neat little CW rifle and are very accurate, they load easy, and are great for hunting in thick woods. What is also nice on them, is that they have adjustable rear sights.
What kind of BBL are you using. Dan Whitacre Make very nice carbine BBLs.

Rebel Dave

[Joe Owen]

Hi Joe
I have 2 custom made Richmond Carbines. I don't have an original to compare too. It is my understanding that the carbines barrels were made from damaged, or un-useable full length (40in) rifle musket bbls. Some of these barrels were used to make the various "Richmond Rifle" bbls, that were from 30-33 inch in length. If they could not be used for that, I think they were used for carbines. They were made at the Richmond Armoury.

The BBLs on my carbine have the following measurements.
at front sight, at back band, at rear sight.
Harmon/large BBL .836 .964 1.048

Whitacre BBL .838 .971 1.077

Hope this helps. I have made these two carbines, and a few others over the years. Richmond Carbines are a neat little CW rifle and are very accurate, they load easy, and are great for hunting in thick woods. What is also nice on them, is that they have adjustable rear sights.
What kind of BBL are you using. Dan Whitacre Make very nice carbine BBLs.

Rebel Dave

Hey Dave,

Sure appreciate your taking the time for the info. I've tried to get numbers on the guns for a while - I guess the scarcity of these old guns makes it hard to find info on them.

The thing that makes me wonder is a well known collector told me a 40" barrel if placed in the wood channel of a 1863 carbine he owned was too large to fit at the nose cap. I should have ask to see if he had a way to actually measure the muzzle of the carbine, but I didn't.

In Paul Davies Richmond armory book the armory had both carbines made from salvaged rifle muskets and also made a barrel in the armory special for the carbines, but didn't mention any size difference. Maybe there is no difference in the muzzles size from the cut down barrels.

The .836" - .838" on your barrels is close to what a the 40" barrels I've measured come to at 25" so makes sense especially if these represent a cut down barrel that would have been used.Still make me wonder if the armory made for carbines were different.


I've heard very good things about Whitacre's barrels, but I finally got to the point I can make & rifle my own barrels. Its slow, a lot of finish filing but very enjoyable!

Joe