Parts Interchangability

[klw]

I was reading an article this evening that Two Flints was nice enough to send me about Spencers.  The claim was that the Spencer and the Sharps had many internal parts in common.  Is that true?  My recollection is that the Spencer and the Burnside were similar but that the Sharps was entirely different.

Incidentally, if you are interested, though a Burnside replica has never been made, the Confederate equivalent, the Keene & Walker is available from Romano Rifle.  They will also be offering a replica of the Tarpley and the Starr Carbine. 

[mtmarfield]

   Greetings!

 According to th Spencer book by Marcot, Spencer was close to Lawrence at the Sharps manufactory, and the first Infantry Spencer was, forward of the receiver, Sharps! Makes one wonder how 'easy' it would be to make a 56-56 CF Rifle using a new Spencer, Sharps parts, a chamber reamer, and a gunsmith...!

                 Be Well!

                                        M.T.Marfield
                                          1-12-06

[klw]

Well that's interesting.  Never would have thought that that was possible.  Thanks!

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[Arizona Trooper]

All Spencer lock parts, including the mainspring, will fit an M-1859/63/65 Sharps (and probably the later cartridge rifles too but I haven't checked). All the Sharps lock parts will fit a Spencer except the sear. The Sharps sear leg needs to be ground slightly to clear the Spencer magazine tube. Sharps rifle barrel bands, springs and nose cap are identical to the corrosponding Spencer parts (and also to the corrosponding Dwight Chapin 56-56 Ballard parts).