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Tarpley Carbine

History of the Tapley Carbine

Southerner Jere H. Tarpley of Greensboro, NC from . 52 caliber. As a breech-loading system, the cartridge is fed into the muzzle from behind the receiver, not the rifle-like muzzle-loaded guns).

By the time of the American Civil War, both North and South were scrambling to provide a supply of usable firearms, and developments such as the Tapley Carbine were recognized.

When the option to acquire arms in Europe failed due to the Confederate blockade of major southern ports, the Confederates looked inward for a solution. On February 14, 1863, Tapley was granted a patent for his invention by the Confederate governing body, and production of his carbine began shortly thereafter until 1964.

In total, about 400 examples were built, and J. F. Garrett built and built the North Carolina-based company.

Tarpley's design uses a .52 caliber with a drop/slide action that works through a control lever. The action involves a solid metal breech block that moves vertically within the receiver, conforming to grooves etched into the breech itself (think up and down movement of a cigar cutter).

In its upper position, the breech is locked and the weapon is ready to fire. In the down position, the firebox is open and ready to receive a new cartridge inserted from the rear of the system. The action is not entirely unique to the Tarpley design, several other firearms also use the system. The action was eventually surpassed with the introduction of the "bolt action" system we see on many rifles today.

While the Tarpley carbine was excellent on its own, its action was quite flawed as there was no seal to help separate the breech and barrel system when firing. This caused rather corrosive gases to escape from the interior, affecting firing action and creating an ever-expanding gap between the breech block and barrel assembly over time.

From the looks of it, the Tarpley design was very traditional for firearms of the time. This particular carbine is distinguished by its large, straight wooden stock, rather short receiver, and cylindrical unfinished brass barrel assembly. The stock is covered with sheet metal and thinned near the receiver for an ergonomic handle. The trigger unit is bent forward and is surrounded by a metal lever system operated by the operator. The receiver contains the main internal and external working parts of the carbine, including the hammer, breech and corresponding breech block.

The barrel is fairly blank and has a rear sight for precision shooting. Notably, the Tapley design lacks any front end fittings, which means the operator runs the risk of dealing with a hot barrel in the heat of battle.

The Tarpley carbine is clearly marked with the Tarpley designation ("Jere Tarpley"), the patent date is engraved on the barrel tang, and the serial number is printed on the top of the breech. Overall, the Tarpley Carbine was 40 inches long and proved suitable for firing from horseback, from tight spaces or on foot across open ground.

What is particularly noteworthy about the Tarpley Carbine is that it became the only Confederate firearm available for sale to the public. No other federal firearm can make such a claim.