New Member MONADNOCK Checking In With My Spencer

[Monadnock]

Hello all. I decided to join this group after Googling as much as I could find about all things Spencer and have been impressed by the expertise and enthusiasm among the members here. Thanks to Two Flints for his help and advice on how to get started on my quest to learn more about my carbine and cartridge collection. I look forward to all information you can offer that will help me understand what I have here, because at this point at least, I know very little.

I inherited the carbine from my granddad when he passed in 1965 and I found the cartridges in a duffel bag amongst my brother's stuff when he passed last year. All I can say at this point is the carbine's serial number shown on the receiver is 38894, but there's no number on the 20" barrel, so have to assume the barrel may have been replaced at some time. As you can see, there's a cutoff device. So, what assumptions can I make about the history of this weapon or what additional information can I provide that will shed light on the question?  Here are a few photos to start off with, I'll provide more in subsequent posts. Thanks everyone!

[El Supremo]

Welcome:

You are one blest fellow.  That's a downright beauty AND with family history.

Closer photo's will make us drool more.

All the best,
Kevin Tinny

[Monadnock]

Thanks, Kevin (El Supremo). Here are a few more photos to whet your appetite. By the way, as best this amateur can tell, the cartridges shown (from right to left) are a .56-.56 "U" headstamp, .56-.56 "U", .56.50 (no headstamp) and .56-.50 "C.D.L.". I've also got about 50 more of the C.D.L.'s and three 7-shot packets of unknown content (one of them never opened).

As an aside. granddad also left behind a Stevens Favorite in .32 Long Rimfire. I also have original rounds for that little beauty.

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[major]

If I were you and wanted to fire that gun live I would not fire the antique rounds that you have.  But would buy a center fire replacement breach block so you can fire newley made 56-50 Spencer cartridges.  S & S sells a very nice replacement center fire breach block.

[Monadnock]

Thanks, MAJOR. I have no plans to fire the Spencer but appreciate the advice. I may take a try at selling the cartridges at some point. For now I'm just enjoying the learning process. These firearms have such an interesting history.

[Jim W]

Wow, the ammo is nice, in the original pasteboard boxes. As other posters have said, don't fire that stuff, it's very collectable and pricey.

[Pete48]

Beautiful carbine. Mine is number 39003, just 9 higher than yours and in similar condition. Interesting that they both have un-numbered 20 inch barrels. Mine has an ESA cartouche behind the saddle ring bar.

Enjoy!

[Arizona Trooper]

Nice carbine! If you want to fire it, definitely convert to centerfire and save those cartridges. They are very collectable today. CDL is C.D. Leet cartridge company. They were located in Springfield, Mass. and were one of the first companies to load rimfire cartridges. The factory blew up in March of 1864 and was rebuilt by November. They started loading 56-50 Spencer shortly after that. U is the Union Metallic Cartridge Co., which was later bought by Remington and became Remington-UMC, which is still around today.

Book 2 of "Roundball to Rimfire" has a lot of information on the Leet explosion.