This is one you won't see every day. A Dwight, Chapin, & Co. Civil War Ballard carbine. This is one of the only 1,000 of these manufactured. It's in surprisingly good condition for a 160 year old firearm that saw service during the Civil War. The action works perfectly and the bore is bright and shiny with only a few gray spots. It is chambered in 56-56 Spencer RF, as specified in the military contract.

A brief history of the Dwight, Chapin, & Co. Ballards. 

Ball & Williams built ~ 10,600 military rifles and carbines during the Civil War, with most of them being purchased by the state of Kentucky and marked Kentucky on the receiver. The Federal Gov. contracted with Merwin & Bray (who owned the Ballard patent)to have 1,000 carbines and 1,000 rifles built on the Ballard patent. 

Merwin & Bray assigned Dwight, Chapin, & Co. to build them. They were unable to fulfill the contract and went into bankruptcy. Merwin & Bray purchased the completed firearms and parts and had Ball & Williams finish the assembly of them under the supervision of Charles Ballard.

1,000 carbines and 600 rifles were sold to the state of Kentucky.These were not marked Kentucky like the Ball & Williams Ballards. The carbines were issued to veteran cavalry units and saw action in many famous campaigns and battles. 

If anyone looks at recent auctions and sees what these carbines are going for, and thinks I have deep pockets, I don't. This was listed wrong and described horribly. I bought it for the opening bid which was a very small fraction of the current auction prices.

JerryH 

   Those bad description situations are going to get worse. Dealers, Auction Houses and people who inherit and put firearms on auction don't know and guess. I bought a Rolling Block Creedmoor that was listed as a #2. Stevens 44's and 44 1/2's are probably the most common. High and Low Walls are a close 2nd. Do your Family a favor and catalog all you have.

Bringing this back from wherever it disappeared to.

JerryH

wonderful little rifle!!!