Primed for faction

Robert Morgan relates the rather strange tale of an American-invented carbine rifle

Sometimes the rarest of guns turn up in the most unlikely of places. Perhaps readers have their own tales to tell about such? However, I’m willing to wager that none of you will have seen an example of the carbine pictured here. There is a reason for that: it is believed only six were produced. This example surfaced in South Africa, but it is unclear how it ended up there, and gives an excuse to tell an interesting story from the 19th century. Origins The carbine, a short rifle used by cavalry, is actually a ‘Jenks Patent’, invented by an American called William Jenks. It was originally designed and used as a flintlock in the 1830s, and while these are not unknown, being one of the many US models of carbine produced…

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Sporting Gun (Digital) - 1 Issue, December 2022

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