The Smith Carbine was unique in that it broke apart in the middle for loading and it used rubber and paper/brass foil cartridges which sealed the gases in the breech.

The name of the distributor for the manufacturer, Poultney & Trimble of Baltimore, Maryland, is often stamped on the carbine's receivers.

[3][4] Italien gun manufacturer F.LLI Pietta produced a fairly good quality Smith Carbine replica in "Artillery" and "Cavalry" (with saddle ring) versions.

Early versions are often known to modern collectors as artillery models, but all Smiths were issued to cavalry units.

Some were used on the western frontier, .50 Smith bullets were exacated at Fort General Paz(today Carlos Casares).