by Gerald Jordan

Ambrose Burnside did not achieve greatness as a Civil War general. At best, his war performance was mediocre. He is remembered, however, for several other things: 

• His foppishly bizarre facial hair style, then called “burnsides,” a word now evolved into the modern word “sideburns.” 
• His three terms as Governor of Rhode Island 
• His role in forming the National Rifle Association and serving as its first president.
• and, of course, inventing and developing one of the most successful breech-loading percussion carbines. One that evolved, to the delight of gun collectors, through at least five and perhaps six different variations. 

The Burnside Rifle Story begins sometime around the year 1853 when the idea for a breech-loading long arm first developed in Lt. Ambrose E. Burnside’s mind. Legend has it that he had observed that the Hall breech-loaders had significant leakage at the joint between the breech and the barrel, and that the leakage of burned gunpowder caused a serious buildup of fouling, eventually making the breech difficult to close. He concluded that a thin-walled metallic cartridge whose body transitioned that gap would better seal the breech and prevent fouling and loss of pressure. Further, it would be a step toward a relatively waterproof, self-contained cartridge. He sketched his idea and petitioned the Army Adjutant General to allow a prototype to be made at Springfield Armory. The prototype was apparently successful enough to encourage him to resign his commission and pursue the manufacture of the arm full time. 

Funded by his wife’s family, he established a short-lived enterprise with partners William Bishop and George Foster in late 1853. By year’s end, that initial venture was set back by a fire at its rented facility. In early 1854, using the insurance money from the fire, a new firm, Burnside and Bishop, was initiated in Providence, Rhode Island, with George Foster in charge of operations. The facility operated briefly as a general gun manufactory   

The First Model Burnside 

In 1855, Burnside received his first patent from the British Government. Shortly thereafter, a U.S. Patent (#14491), the first of several, was granted on March 25, 1856. His patent made two claims: first, the use of a thin-walled cartridge case to transcend the breech gap and to seal it during ignition, and second, a movable seat to break the cartridge case loose after firing and facilitate its removal. 

By May of 1855, the firm had expanded and was re-incorporated as the Bristol Firearms Company with the addition of Charles W. Jackson, a Providence entrepreneur. Jackson was successful in influencing the Chief of Ordnance, Col. H.K. Craig, to authorize a test of the now-evolved Burnside arm. The test resulted in the Ordnance Office placing an order for 200 guns on April 21, 1856. 

These were the First Model Carbines. Col. Craig, however, insisted that they be equipped to use the automatically fed Maynard tape primer, currently very much in vogue. This system was to be in addition to the percussion cap/nipple method as used on the trial piece. 

Upon examining a number of First Model Burnsides, it becomes apparent that this afterthought device went through some experimentation. In addition to the known First Model Burnsides made without a tape device of any kind, there are two significant variations to the tape-feeder device. These variations are best understood by examining the photographs in Figures 3, -4, -5, and -7. It is estimated that the total number of First Model Burnsides produced is about 300 pieces– 200 to 250 for the military, the balance for commercial sale. The First Model Burnsides utilized a separate serial number range starting with No. 1.

The Second Model Burnside

In service, the gun proved to have two faults. First, the activation lever was too light and easily broken, and second, the rear sight was very delicate. Many rear sights were replaced by a simple notched wedge. 

Although not a financial success, the gun was technically successful. Apparently, the Army liked it because in another test, held in 1857 among twelve contending systems, the Burnside received the highest rating. 

As a result, Jackson was able to secure a second contract for 709 carbines in late 1856. The several changes apparent in comparing the First Model pieces with the Second Model show how the field reports were accommodated. The rear sight was simplified and made more rugged, the lever was beefed up based on a new design by Foster, and a lower sling swivel was added to the buttstock. It will be noted, however, that a few of the earliest Second Models still retain the delicate rear sight from the First Model production.

Reorganization and relocation of the Bristol Firearms Company, as well as growth and tooling problems, delayed production, and it wasn’t until December of 1860 that the first 200 Second Models were delivered. 

By the start of the Civil War, the company again reorganized and recapitalized to take advantage of the forthcoming demand for arms. The new company, the Burnside Rifle Company, would continue throughout the war years, although Ambrose Burnside was no longer involved with the company. 

Unlike later evolutionary changes, which have been captioned “models” by collectors, the “Second Model” terminology is true contemporary nomenclature and serial numbering restarted with its inception.

 

The Third Model Burnside

Responding again to comments from the field, a wooden forestock was added. This feature was first noted when proposed for a Navy contract that featured a longer barrel and bayonet stud. The Navy’s impatience with production delays resulted in the cancellation of that contract. In addition to the added forestock feature, Third Models can be identified by the unarticulated breech block, a carry-over from the Second Model. Not many of the so-called “Third Model” were produced, making it scarcer than the true Second Model.

 

The Fourth Model Burnside 

Complaints about the difficulty of reaching deeply with the fingers into the breechblock opening for loading and removal of fired cases resulted in a redesign of the breech block. It was designed now as an articulated part that placed the mouth of the breech block in a much more accessible position.

 

The Fifth Model Burnside

 Another improvement, the addition of a guide screw in the frame, helped the breechblock to travel in the proscribed position. This was the identifier for what are known as Fifth Models.

 

The “Sixth Model” Burnside 

A change to the trigger guard plate that occurred near the end of production has been noted. Whether this merits a “sixth” classification or not is up to collectors. We felt it was worth mentioning.

Further Reading The Burnside story is told in exquisite detail in the book “The Burnside Breech Loading Carbines” by Edward A. Hull (Man-at-Arms Monograph dated 1986) from which much of this information is excerpted. This well-researched book is highly recommended to anyone wishing to learn the full Burnside saga.