Civil War Kentucky Contract Triplett & Scott Repeating Carbine

Serial #4124, .50 RF, 22" barrel with a fine, bright bore that has some light freckling and pinprick pitting within the grooves towards the breech. This is one of 5,000 carbines ordered in early 1865 to equip Kentucky Home Guard troops guarding the supply lines for Gen. William T. Sherman’s campaign in Georgia. The barrel and rotating breech assembly retain about 50-60% of the original blue finish with the balance faded to mottled gray at the muzzle, and to a freckled plum-brown on the remainder. The small "KENTUCKY" contract marking is still clear and crisp on the left side of the breech, while the mottled gray-brown frame has crisp "MERIDEN MAN’FG. CO. / MERIDEN, CONN." markings on the left side as well. The and barrel assembly rotates freely when unlocked in order to access the tubular magazine that runs along the belly of the stock, and the action is fully functional, althought the breech latch is a bit loose when the action is closed. The walnut forend and buttstock are original, with the small "N / WB" inspection stamps deeply struck on the left side of the buttstock just ahead of the buttplate. The wood is in very good shape with some minor handling marks and small surface blemishes scattered about the added varnish finish. There is a linear, with-the-grain crack commonly seen on Triplett & Scott carbines running along the embedded magazine tube due to the very thin density of wood there. While ordered for the Kentucky Home Guard, they were not delivered in time to see service in the war. These are seldom seen carbines, with a unique, and rather ungainly magazine loading system, and this example is in very good-near fine condition overall. Antique