I took my 7 month old son to his first gunshow on Saturday and wandering through the small local show I came across a 3 band 1860 Spencer rifle with a 71xx serial number for $550. It was in nice shape over all, with a good patina (faint traces of blue and case color in protected areas, some original stock finish, etc.), but it was missing the rear sight, the internal magazine tube, the cartridge follower and the cartridge follower spring. I have several of these parts from working on my Spencer Carbine and almost all the rest (a complete sight is hard to find) are available from S&S. Even more interesting, upon examination, I found it has an old conversion to centerfire. The action is very smooth and solid, smoother than any other Spencer I recall handling (and I have handled and worked on a number of originals and repros). The bore was very dirty so I assumed it was just bad, but when I got it home I found that it had been bored out to be a smooth bore. So, what I think I have is a civil war rifle, converted after the war into a singe shot shotgun. This is known to have been done by wholesalers after the war and would explain the lack of a rear sight, inner magazine tube and possibly the cartridge follower (they are not required and might cause problems with operation or use as a shotgun).
Needless to say, I plunked down the cash and am very tickled with my find. I am finding the missing parts and giving it a sympathetic cleaning. It has a couple of cracks in the buttstock that I am working with (the inner magazine tube was a a bit loose which allowed the stock to wobble and put a little stress on the stock at the wrist). I will post some pictures when I get the chance, especially of the centerfire conversion, which is entirely different than the S&S style.
I just saw Two Flints post on checking serial numbers, so I will post the serial number to him and see if I really struck it lucky.
Some days it pays to get up. Here are the photos posted by Two Flints:
My photos aren't that clear and sharp. Two Flints did the best he could with my originals.
Regarding the photos of the "new" 1860 Spencer 3 band discovery. It's serial number 7130, which according to the table of early Spencer deliveries in Marcot's book was delivered on June 16, 1863. In the Springfield Research Service books the closest serial # to mine is 7134, which is a carbine which went to the 1st Vol Cav. Most of the rifles listed in Vol. 4 above and below 7130 went to the 8th Indiana Vol Cav, though one rifle in this range went to the 9th Michigan Vol Cav.
Update . . . more photos and informationAttached are some additional photos and information regarding the photos of the block from my new Spencer, showing the centerfire conversion. The block has been drilled at an angle so that one end of the firing pin is under the hammer and the other end is in the center of the block. The pin is retained by a piece that looks like an original rimfire firing pin. This part is held in by the original firing pin screw but does not move back and forth as the original pin does. There is a slot cut in the new part and there is a pin in the side of the firing pin that runs in this slot, which allows the pin to move back and forth. There is no firing pin spring to retract the centerfire pin. I have not taken it apart yet, to see if there is room for a firing pin spring. The centerfire conversion parts appear to have the same patina as the rest of the breach block, indicating that it was not done recently, and is thus probably not a reenactor conversion.
(Photos Posted by Two Flints)
Roscoe
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