A manufactory was soon established at Cheney's, and Spencer's arms company was in operation. For some, this has been asked and answered already. The 13-tube model, when fully loaded, weighed over nine pounds — more than the carbine itself. The age-old question, 9mm vs .45 ACP. One of its main advantages was its breech loading design. Cavalry units carried a conglomeration of  muzzleloading and breechloading single-shots. Though ballistics were similar, the Spencer had one great advantage — it could be loaded and fired in a fraction of the time that was necessary for either of the other two guns. Actual field testing suggested that it was a far better weapon than others currently in use, and soon the first big order for the weapon – 10,000 rifles – was issued. Deciding to go to the top, on August 18, 1863, he made an appointment with President Abraham Lincoln, taking one of his rifles and some ammunition to the Executive Mansion for a personal demonstration — according to Spencer's own reminiscence. The new assembly in no way affects the originality of the piece, and the original parts can be reinstalled at any time. Also, the centerfire block has a floating firing pin, so it is not necessary to halfcock the gun when operating it — though I do it anyway out of tradition. Accuracy testing a rifle begins with building a good shooting position. By war’s end, more than 85,000 Spencers were in the hands of Union soldiers and sailors. 1860s American Civil War unique design: YouTube, Shooting the 1865 Spencer Rifle (replica); YouTube, https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spencer_repeating_rifle&oldid=7036468, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. The weapon had to be cocked manually, with the hammer cocked every time by hand when the lever was moved. All Guns and Ammo subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. [1], An excellent example of the firepower of the new Spencer carbines was the action at Parker's Store on the morning of May 5, 1864. It speeded up loading time a good degree, but soldiers complained of the boxes being somewhat cumbersome. For instance, as early as 1861 he was tooling back and forth from Manchester to Hartford, CT, in a steam buggy of his own design — until the locals decided that the thing just made too much noise and he was ordered to remove it from the public thoroughfare. when referring to the Spencer cartridge. Some were even manufactured under contract in Belgium. Exceedingly rare original Spencer Repeating Rifle Model 1860 Saddle Ring Carbine used by Union Cavalry during the U.S. Civil War. Close the lever to chamber a round, bring the hammer to full cock and fire. The rifle is all original and is an absolutely superb piece. The Spencer is considered the first successful repeating carbine to fire a metallic cartridge. 1865 Spencer® Repeating Carbine 45 LC, 20" Rnd. Also, in battlefield conditions, muzzleloaders could only aim the first few shots. Word got out, and soon infantry and cavalry officers were asking to look at the revolutionary new Spencer repeating rifle. Also, special quick-loading cartridge boxes containing six, 10 or 13 tin tubes holding seven rounds each were devised by inventor Erastus Blakeslee. At the Battle of Hoover’s Gap, Colonel John T. Wilder and his so-called Lightning Brigade made use of the Spencer rifle, proving its effectiveness on horseback. Ordnance authorities had already expended much time, expense and labor in testing, developing and buying these arms, so at the onset of the war (which was only supposed to last about six months) many officials were loath to get too involved in looking at new guns. This is an outstanding example of a Spencer Model 1860 Army Rifle that was manufactured by the Spencer Repeating Rifle Company of Boston, Massachusetts c. 1864. But it was the Spencer repeating rifle that really established his name in the pantheon of American inventors. It was fired by cocking a lever to extract a used case and feed a new cartridge from a tube in the buttstock. As we know, rimfire ammo for these arms is no longer available, but centerfire conversion blocks are available from, Red vs. Green Lasers: Visibility in Bright Light, First Look: Springfield Armory Model 2020 Waypoint Bolt-Action Rifle, Leupold DeltaPoint Micro Red Dot for Pistols: TESTED, Swarovski Z5(i) P BT L 3.5-­18x44mm Scope Review, Touring the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, M30 Luftwaffe Drilling – Rifle/Shotgun Combo, 7-Shot Wonder: The Spencer Repeating Rifle, Guns & Ammo TV: Cameras Don't Lie: 9mm vs .45 ACP, Trijicon's New Specialized Reflex Optics (SRO). The Spencer repeating rifle lives on, its popularity spurred considerably by the gun's appearance in Clint Eastwood's film The Unforgiven and its use by Civil War reenactors and Cowboy Action shooters. The inventor of the weapon was Christopher Miner Spencer. (As an aside, excellent reproductions of the three models of Blakeslee boxes are offered by, The Spencer repeating rifle lives on, its popularity spurred considerably by the gun's appearance in Clint Eastwood's film, Being the Luddite that I am, while I appreciate the quality, availability and lower prices of reproduction arms, I do like to shoot my period pieces now and then to get a feel for the real article. For comparison's sake, the standard .58-caliber Springfield, firing a 500-grain bullet backed by 60 grains of powder, produced a muzzle velocity of 950 fps and a muzzle energy of 1,000 ft-lbs. ©2021 Outdoor Sportsman Group. The Spencer repeating rifle was a manually operated lever-action, repeating rifle fed from a tube magazine with cartridges. I've run several hundred rounds though my Spencer repeating rifle, and the gun functions extremely well, with few hang-ups or failures to eject. 1 Item . GI#: 100932277...Click for more info. [a][3] The war department was looking at a number of rifle designs and it took time to decide on Spencer's rifle. With the enemy bearing down on them the remaining shots were fired as quickly as possible and were almost always poorly aimed. At first, conservatism from the Department of War delayed its introduction to service. A repeating milestone: The distinctive lever/block of the Spencer Carbine. Spencers are still popular in France and often taken afield by some of my friends in l'Arquebusiers de France. SPENCER REPEATING RIFLE CO BOSTON MASS, PAT’d MARCH 6, 1860. [7] He decided to try to see the one person who might be able to cut through the red tape, President Abraham Lincoln. Mar 7, 2019 - Explore claychambers37's board "Spencer Repeating Rifle 1895" on Pinterest. The Spencer's sighting arrangement consists of a simple blade front and a ladder rear sight (below). The approximately 24" barrel is threaded into the receiver. The caliber was reduced, and many Civil War Spencers were taken to Springfield Armory, where they were refurbished and converted to handle the new .56-52 and .56-50 rimfire rounds (which were virtually interchangeable). Personally endorsed by President Lincoln, the Spencer Repeater was one of the most popular and widely used rifles in the War Between the States. The preponderance of early Spencer repeaters appear to have been rifles; many of the rifles were initially issued to mounted troops, actually, and were often used alongside the carbines carried by their comrades. Men from both the North and South agreed that the Spencer had a hand in turning the tides of the War in favor of the North. Being the Luddite that I am, while I appreciate the quality, availability and lower prices of reproduction arms, I do like to shoot my period pieces now and then to get a feel for the real article. Once you get a feel for these things, the operation goes smoothly. Spencer Repeating Rifle Model 1865 . More would follow. But it proved to be an excellent rifle for the cavalry because they usually fought at close range. As... Give a Gift   A Model 1865 Spencer repeating rifle was manufactured by Burnside for the U.S. government, though some were also made for Canada. Set the hammer at halfcock and push the lever down to to bring the cartridge up to the chamber. Part 2 of the early lever action rifle series. It was the second most widely used carbine in the war, bested only by the Sharps. The original rimfire breechblock (left) and a modern replacement centerfire block that the author fitted to his original Spencer. [2], From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Civil War infantrymen on both sides mainly used .58 or .577 caliber. Early models involved smallbore sporting rifles of .36 and .44 caliber, as well as prototype .44 military arms. [2] It allowed a smaller cavalry unit to lay down devastating firepower on an enemy. Spencer carbine, any of a family of rim-fire repeating arms—both carbines and rifles—that were widely used in the American Civil War.The carbine was invented by Christopher M. Spencer of Connecticut and was patented in 1860. Available charged with either Hodgdon Triple Seven or black powder and a 350-grain lead bullet, it's really great stuff and functions perfectly in my carbine. Spencers have become so en vogue, in fact, that reproductions of them are offered by a number of companies, chambered for such things as .56-50, .45 Colt and .44-40. Developed in 1859 and patented on March 6 th, 1860 the Spencer rifle was not initially used by the Union. The Spencer was also much more accurate than the muzzleloader, with an effective firing range 500 yards. The Spencer proved to be very reliable under battlefield conditions. The weapon used cop­per rim­fire car­tridges, based on the 1854 Smith & Wes­sonpatent, st… The effective range (about 500 yards) was the same as the longer "rifle", but it was more difficult to aim because of the shorter distance between the sights. Recently, I picked up an original Springfield .56-52 refurbished carbine in quite good condition (the bore is perfect). They were shipped to French forces for use in the Franco … [1] Some were made by Spencer's company and later others were made by the Burnside Rifle Company in Providence, Rhode Island. However, Christopher Spencer was eventually able to gain an audience with President Abraham Lincoln, who subsequently invited him to a shooting match and demonstration of the weapon. Relatively few sporting rifles were made by the Spencer Repeating Rifle Company. Cheney Brothers generously allowed him to use its workshop during his off hours. [1] After the Sharps rifle, the Spencer was the most widely used carbine during the war. A spring-loaded follower tube was then pressed into the tube and locked in place. This action pulled the case from the chamber by means of a thin, finger-like extractor and then popped it free of the gun by sliding it across a narrow ramp that dropped down into a groove on the top of the block. Unlike other rifles of the period, the Spencer featured a lever-action block that fed rounds from a tubular magazine. There is even a good case to be made for the Spencer repeating rifle being responsible, in some part, for General George Gordon Meade's victory over Robert E. Lee at Gettysburg, where, according to a period account, "The daring and dashing feats of the 5th and 7th Michigan cavalry [armed with Spencers], under the lead of the intrepid [Custer], have become historic. It speeded up loading time a good degree, but soldiers complained of the boxes being somewhat cumbersome. The president responded, "Come over tomorrow at 2 o'clock, and we'll see the thing shoot.". And in the pursuit of Lee, until he escaped across the Potomac, those regiments were constantly upon his heels€¦". You can certainly see why it was the most sought-after firearm of the Civil War and why it was so popular with troopers in the West. Left to right: original rimfire Spencer .56-56, Spencer .56-50, Spencer shotshell cartridge, centerfire .56-50 round from Ten-X. Next, the shooter put the hammer on halfcock and lowered the lever to allow a cartridge to be pushed into position by the follower. Recoil is very light, and the overall experience is wonderful. The carbine also features a 22" round heavy barrel showing the original brown finish in very good condition. Muzzleloaders could fire only two or three shots a minute. As we know, rimfire ammo for these arms is no longer available, but centerfire conversion blocks are available from Dixie Gun Works and S&S Firearms. Born in 1833, after serving his initial apprenticeship as a mechanic at the Cheney Brothers silk manufacturing company, Spencer moved on to other venues, including a short stint at Colt, where he was employed designing revolver-fabricating machinery. pistol has a silhouette like no other handgun. (As an aside, excellent reproductions of the three models of Blakeslee boxes are offered by L. Romano Rifle Co.). [8] They were attacked by an entire division of Confederate infantry[b][8] The Union cavalry held off the Confederates for over three hours until they ran low on ammunition, forcing them to pull back. In 1869, Oliver Winchester of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company purchased the Spencer assets. In the second half of the conflict, in the northeast theater, Tosa Province troops are known to have used American-made Spencer repeating rifles. We shoot the 1865 Spencer Rifle. Working the Spencer repeating rifle was simple and reliable. It was adopted by the Union Army during the American Civil War. The introduction of the seven shot repeating Spencer rifle has been called by some the turning point of the Civil War. This configuration reduced reloading time and thus allowed marksmen to fire subsequent rounds in concentrated succession (about 20 shots per minute). [7] He got an appointment with Lincoln and brought a Spencer rifle and ammunition to the White House. After the war, the Spencer moved westward to the frontier and was the primary U.S. Cavalry rifle used during the Indian Wars. [7] Lincoln was impressed and asked Spencer to take it apart and explain how it worked. The wide field of view and clean, crisp dot makes it easy for users to find and track the dot in both target and competitive shooting applications. In this segment of “At The Range,” Handgunning Editor Jeremy Stafford and contributor Patrick Sweeney compare the visibility of red and green lasers in outdoor, sunny conditions. Few can be more to the point, or poignant, than one sent by Colonel John T. Wilder describing the use of the Spencer at the Battle of Chickamauga. The rifle has a 30-inch round barrel with seven-shot magazine tube in the stock. Lincoln kept the rifle, and the next day he took his secretary, John Hay, out for another shooting session, during which Hay described the Spencer as "a wonderful gun, loading with absolutely contemptible simplicity and ease with seven balls and firing the whole readily and deliberately in less than half a minute.". Repeating rifles were a significant advance over the preceding single-shot breechloading rifles when used for military combat, as they allowed a much greater rate of fire. Set Descending Direction. Back to Top Guns International Advertising Policy GunsInternational.com is the #1 Gun Classified website that brings gun buyers and gun brokers or sellers together through classifed advertising of guns, gun related items and services for sale online. Spencer duly arrived at 2:00, upon which the party, consisting of himself, President Lincoln and Lincoln's son Robert, went over to the open field that would eventually be the site of the Washington Monument. My gun was easily fitted with its new block following a couple of hours of judicious filing (on the block, not the gun), after which it functioned perfectly. It had a tubular magazine that fed 56-56 rimfire cartridges into the chamber. per page. 'Well,' he said, 'you are younger than I am, have a better eye and a steadier nerve.'". To eject a spent case, briskly recycle the action (right). This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Designed by Christopher Spencer, the lever action, .52 caliber, 7-shot rifle had a sustainable rate of fire 14-20 rounds per minute, while muzzleloaders in use at the time fired only 2-3 rounds per minute. The Spencer Repeating Rifle was an early American lever action firearm invented by Christopher Spencer in 1860. Still, by mid-1861 Spencer had demonstrated his rifle to a trials board at the Washington Navy Yard, after which the Navy Department put in an order for 700 Spencer rifles (and bayonets), a figure that for production-cost purposes Spencer himself upped by another 300. The carbine was a shorter version of the Spencer 7-shot repeating rifle and was introduced primarily for cavalry use in 1864. The Sharps 462-grain bullet moved out at about 1,000 fps, for an ME of 1,100 ft-lbs. |   Seller: MoGuns . Subscriber Services. Christopher Miner Spencer was the inventor of the Spencer Repeating Rifle. Spencers have become so en vogue, in fact, that reproductions of them are offered by a number of companies, chambered for such things as .56-50, .45 Colt and .44-40. Following this meeting, the tide began to turn in favour of Spencer’s repeating rifle. Raising the lever chambered the next round and so on, until all the ammunition was expended. Shooters have told me they can be dropped in easily, though it has been my experience that some handwork is required. Top of the barrel at the base is stamped with "NM", indicating that it is a "New Model" barrel. As such, the investment proved unsound and Spencer Repeating Rifle Company was forced into bankruptcy in 1868, sold to Fogerty Rifle Company. The Spencer repeating rifle lives on, its popularity spurred considerably by the gun's appearance in Clint Eastwood's film The Unforgiven and its use by Civil War reenactors and Cowboy Action shooters. Show. Testimonial upon testimonial arrived at the Spencer works, which by 1863 had relocated to the Chickering Piano-Forte Building in Boston, MA. The gun performed flawlessly and Lincoln was sold, though Spencer confessed, "Being in almost daily practice, I naturally beat the president a little. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. The Spencer Repeating Rifles and Carbines were early American lever action firearms invented by Christopher Spencer. This effectively turned the carbine into a single-shot, the other seven cartridges being kept in the magazine in reserve — a device to warm the cockles of any penurious ordnance officer's heart. Christopher Miner Spencer was one of those 19th century Edisonian inventors who could successfully turn his hand at just about whatever caught his fancy at the time. The barrel has a steel block front sight that acts as a lug for a socket bayonet and a dove-tail mounted folding leaf rear sight with 800 yard center notch. [2] The gun had few parts, many of which were common to the Sharps rifle. I must admit that there is a sort of rhythm to operating the gun properly. The chosen caliber, and the one that would remain constant throughout the war, was .56-56, a round that fired a 350-grain .540- to .555-diameter (depending on the manufacturer) bullet backed by some 45 grains of black powder to give a muzzle velocity of some 1,200 fps and a muzzle energy of 1,125 ft-lbs. In this segment of “Cameras Don't Lie,” competitive shooters Patrick Sweeney and Jim Tarr head to the range to put the vaunted loads on record, and then consider the footage. Once that is mastered, however, it's a real gem. As well as military arms, Spencer also made a wide variety of sporting rifles in varying calibers and with different styles and degrees of decoration. A special replacement follower with a recessed center is available, so there is absolutely no chance of accidental discharge of the centerfire round. Spencers also found use in other lands, including Mexico and by the French during the Franco-Prussian War (1871), where many thousands of surplus rifles and carbines saw service. Christopher Miner Spencer (Maker) By the summer of 1863, Christopher Miner Spencer despaired that the Bureau of Ordnance would never see the merit of his repeating rifle. Barrel . A quick-loading catridge box holds the seven-round Blakeslee cartridge tubes that are used to charge the Spencer's tubular magazine (below). Chiappa Firearms' reproduction is manufactured from precision CNC parts precisely joined to beautiful, hand oiled walnut stocks. The weapon was fed through an actual tube magazine that fit in the stock; this tube magazine was spring loaded and held seven rounds. If it was good enough for Old Abe, it certainly should be good enough for us. In this segment of "Guns & Ammo TV," Gun Tech Editor Richard Nance and Pro-Shooter Jim Tarr head to the range to wring out the Umarex Air Ruger 10/22. Glowing reports came in from the field. With the start of the Civil War, Spencer quickly moved into gear, attempting to interest military authorities in his repeating rifle. But the merciless Spencer seven-shooter would not cease.". Spencer repeating rifle originally tested by Abraham Lincoln in a shooting match. The Spencer .52 calibre repeating rifle was designed by Christopher Spencer in 1860. Spencer’s unique design was the first repeating rifle adopted by the U.S. military. When Spencer said he was not, Lincoln said “Come over tomorrow at 2 o’clock, and we’ll see the thing shoot.”[1], At 2:00 p.m. the next day, Spencer, President Lincoln and his son Todd, went to the open field nearby (later the site of the Washington Monument). [1] Lincoln decided to keep the rifle. "At this point it absolutely seems a pity to kill men so. Several times, larger Confederate units had to retreat to save themselves from being cut to pieces by Spencer-equipped Union cavalry units. This replica is made by Armi Sport and is imported from Italy by Tailors & Co. 56 straight copper case which measured .56 at the top and bottom of the casing, hence the oft times used designation of 56/56 cal. These guns were such hot items that virtually all delivered before the cessation of hostilities saw use, so today it is unusual to find a wartime Spencer in pristine condition. The Spencer carbine was a shorter and lighter version. Working the lever operated a breech block which flung spent rounds out of the weapon. See more ideas about Rifle, Spencer repeating rifle, Western guns. To load the carbine, the user only had to remove the follower, pull a charged tube from his Blakeslee box and dump the rounds into the magazine. There is also a timing mark between the barrel and receiver. During his lifetime, Spencer was responsible for a plethora of patents, including such diverse contrivances as a textile spool labeling machine, an automatic lathe turret and an early pump shotgun. The Spencer repeating rifle was first adopted by the United States Navy, and subsequently adopted by the United States Army and used durin… [8] The 500 cavalrymen of the Fifth New York Cavalry dismounted to form a skirmish line. The Swarovski Z5(i) P BT L 3.5-­18x44mm has a unique and versatile multiple-­zero system and... No matter how you arrive, a visit to the Center of the West is a must for anyone traveling... For a time during World War II, the German Air Force was issued one of the most elegant arms... Normandy through the eyes of a 13-year-old. The Spencer had an innovative tubular magazine fed into the butt via a trap with steel latch. [1] When Spencer put it back together for the President, Lincoln asked if Spencer was busy the next day. After waiting for invitee Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton — who was ultimately a no-show, saying he was to busy to attend ("They do pretty much as they have a mind to over there," quipped Lincoln) — they put the Spencer repeating rifle through its paces. The Spencer repeating rifle was a lever-action, seven shot repeating rifle with a rotating block. Apparently, Lincoln was impressed right from the get-go, asking Spencer to explain the workings of the piece and disassemble it in order to "see the inwardness of the thing," which Spencer did. Enforced fire discipline: The Stabler cutoff consists of a small lever in front of the trigger, which turns the Spencer into a single-shot, with the loaded tubular magazine in reserve. The Spencer 1860 was the world’s first widely used military repeating rifle. [1] Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton had been asked to attend but did not show up. To load the carbine, the user only had to remove the follower, pull a charged tube from his Blakeslee box and dump the rounds into the magazine. [2], Spencer had formerly worked for Samuel Colt. A manually operated lever action fed from a tube magazine in the buttstock, the Spencer rifle was a vast improvement over the muzzleloading rifles being used during the war. Lincoln directed the War Department to order Spencer rifles. In no time, orders were forthcoming from commanders wishing to equip their units with it. Boshin War-Wikipedia. [3] It took some time to sell the idea to the United States Government so the rifles were not produced until 1863. His seminal design was simply nothing short of revolutionary and the best firearm of its type to be fielded for a good number of years afterward. Remember, at this time the principal U.S. infantry arm was a then state-of-the-art .58-caliber  Springfield muzzleloading Minie rifle musket, with many regulars and state troops armed with more archaic firearms. [8] The cavalry lost about 80 casualties in the skirmish. The serial number 23597 is stamped into the rear of the upper receiver, at the wrist, in front of the buttstock joint, and the matching number is present under the barrel, forward of the receiver, hidden by the forend. The Spencer carbine was a shorter and lighter version. This page was last changed on 16 July 2020, at 22:23. For others, the debate goes on. They fell in heaps, and I actually had it in my heart to order the firing to cease in order to end the awful sight. Components can also be had from a number of sources, and when I'm not using Ten-X fodder, I do rely on my own black-powder reloads, which, with their .546 375 handcast  bullets from Rapine Bullet Mold Co. and 34-grain FFg powder charge, actually work pretty well themselves, though not as well as the Ten-X.