M106 .50 Smith Carbine Rubber Cartridge – 1858 Patent
Description: Very nice example of the rubberized cartridge used in the .50 Smith carbine. The original U.S. Patent No. 17,702 was granted to Gilbert Smith of Buttermilk Falls, New York, on June 30, 1857, and later reissued as Reissue No. 598 on September 14, 1858.
One of the principal challenges facing mid-19th-century breech-loading firearms was achieving a reliable gas seal at the breech. Many inventors of the Civil War era attempted to solve this issue, but Smith’s design was among the more innovative, utilizing the elastic properties of india-rubber to create an effective gas check. Smith’s patent described a flexible cartridge case made from india-rubber cloth or vulcanized rubber that fit loosely within the chamber. Upon firing, the expanding gases forced the rubber outward against the chamber walls, creating a hermetic seal that prevented gas leakage. After discharge, the elastic case contracted back to its original shape, allowing easy manual extraction.
The cartridge body could be produced either by rolling layers of rubberized cloth around a form and cementing them together, or by molding the case entirely from vulcanized rubber. A stout leather base sealed the rear of the cartridge. The system could be adapted for both ball and shot cartridges. Smith also incorporated a lubrication feature into the design, placing grease or tallow within the cartridge so that, upon firing, the lubricant would coat the bore and reduce fouling for subsequent shots.
As Smith noted in his patent claim, the use of india-rubber or vulcanized rubber allowed the cartridge to expand laterally under the force of the explosion, sealing the breech, and then contract again by its own elasticity so it could be readily removed by hand.
This example remains in excellent condition. The bullet shows very little oxidation, while the rubberized case has developed an attractive brown patina over time. An excellent addition to any Civil War cartridge collection and a perfect companion piece for a .50 Smith carbine display.
Headstamp: None
Measures: OAL 2.016” CL 1.575” HD .610” CM .642” BDaCM .498” Weight 490 Grs.
Reference: "Round Ball to Rimfire” Thomas Vol. 2 Pg. 236 No. 564
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American Civil War Relics &
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