.54 caliber. 22.625" round barrel. SN: 848. Blued finish, color casehardened lock and hammer, brass furniture, walnut stock with single barrel brass barrel band and patchbox. Single shot breechloading Merrill's patent percussion carbine. Lock marked in three horizontal lines J.H. MERRILL BALTO/PAT. JULY 1858 /APL. 9 MAY 21-28-61 forward of the hammer and vertically in a single line at the tail with the serial number 848. Breech lever marked J.H. MERRILL BALTO/PAT. JULY 1858 in two lines on the top along with the serial number 848 and is stamped with the assembly mark 44 on the interior of the lever and latch. A clear script RP cartouche is visible on the counterpane above the sling bar, the mark of arsenal sub-inspector Richard Paine. Numerous variations of Merrill carbine front and rear sights have been noted by students of these arms, as well as variations in patchboxes and other small parts. Carbine retains the original multi-leaf rear sight whose base doubles as the catch for the breech lever and retains the original rounded iron blade front sight. Barrel secured by a single round brass, spring retained barrel band. Retains the brass patchbox which does not have the spare nipple inside and the sling bar and ring on the counterpane. A total of 14,495 Merrill carbines of both variants were produced with nearly all being purchased with nearly all of them acquired by the US Government for Civil War service. {ANTIQUE}