This Volcanic carbine was manufactured by the New Haven Arms Co. circa 1860 and has a polished brass ("gunmetal") receiver and crescent buttplate. Most Volcanic carbines featured factory scroll engraving and examples like this one with a plain finish are rare. The carbine has a 16 inch blued octagon barrel and integral magazine with casehardened hammer, trigger and loading lever. The straight grain walnut stock has an oil finish. The barrel has a nickel-silver cone front sight blade. A wheel-adjustable rear sight was originally mounted in a dovetail on the receiver; the original rear sight on this rifle has been replaced with a period fixed aperture rear sight. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped: "PATENT" and "FEB 14, 1854". This modified legend was introduced in April 1857 after Oliver Winchester took control of the Volcanic Repeating Arms Co. and reorganized it as the New Haven Arms Co. The serial number, "2236", is stamped right side of the loading lever. The New Haven Arms Co. manufactured an estimated total of 1,000 Volcanic carbines between 1857 and 1860. The revolutionary Volcanic carbines featured self-cocking lever actions, integral spring-loaded magazines and were chambered for a cartridge with self-contained propellant and primer. Although the Volcanic carbines were not a commercial success, the development of reliable cartridges allowed the Volcanic lever action and integral magazine to serve as the basis for the successful Henry rifle and the Winchester Model 1866 and 1873 rifles. The investment of shirt manufacturer Oliver Winchester in the Volcanic Repeating Arms Co. eventually resulted in the establishment of the New Haven Arms Co. and the Winchester Repeating Arms Co.