First off, many thanks to Two Flints for the email discussion and research. I have really enjoyed researching all the threads here.
I have recently inherited a Spencer Army Rifle (SN 1453). The backstory on it is that it was given to my father when he was a teenager around 1957 in Gary, Indiana - pretty close to the Michigan state line. He was helping an older neighbor cleaning out an attic and came across it. When he asked the neighbor what it was, his response was something like "Bah, just an old gun. You can have it."
I first noticed it sitting behind a door in our house when I was a teenager. I did what research I could back then in 1985 by scribbling down the patent info on top of the receiver and the serial number and then scurrying to some book stores to see what I could find. I knew pretty quickly then that it was an interesting rifle. It had that low serial number, but the front stock just didn't look right.
I got married, moved on and figured I'd never see it again. When my father died last year, I was sure I'd never see it again. That's a whole nother story. I was visiting one of my brothers just a couple weeks ago and just out of the blue he asks me if I still wanted it... After a moment of confusion, I packed it away in the car. He made out OK with a few other choice pieces, the 1903 Springfield, a Jaeger AP-15 (which was a favorite of mine as a kid) and a few others. The Spencer was the only thing I really cared about.
So, I got home with my treasure and started researching. I came across some Marcot info, Wiley Sword, another message board and finally the Spencer Shooting Society here. While Marcot said he only verified 2 or 3 rifles from the 'first order' that was sent to LTC Joseph Copeland, I've got a list of 8 now. I don't know if they rise to the level of how Marcot looked at them, but they seem pretty solid with the exception of one that was just discussed on a message board without photos.
I've read about the various issues regarding Spencer serial numbers (and of course I've read Two Flints' disclaimer several times in every post where it exists
) - about how Spencer and Burnside reused numbers for different models, so the a 'rifle' SN was likely used at some point on a 1865 Spencer carbine and then again on a Burnside. My serial number shows up in the SRS info as a carbine. That didn't surprise since it seemed they reused SNs on different models.
So, here's what I think I've got - It seems pretty clear to me that Spencer shipped the first 500 Spencer Army Rifles to LTC Copeland for his 5th Michigan Cav and as the record seems to show, they covered the span of serial numbers from 1000 to 2050. That would seem to put my rifle in the first shipment that chased Copeland east. Since that deal seemed to have been a 'private purchase', would the numbers even show up in the SRS data? Mine has no inspection marks, cartouches, etc. So, it wasn't inspected by an Ordnance Department inspector upon receipt.
As the pictures show, mine didn't make it to me in perfect condition. Someone, somewhere along the way chopped down the front stock. it's about 5 1/2 inches long now. Maybe it was battle damage. Maybe it was damaged at someone's home. Maybe they just felt they didn't need the extra weight. Beyond that, the rifle is otherwise unmodified or altered. The SN matches on the barrel & receiver. There is a tiny upper case "L" in front of what is left of the front stock, but there are no other markings. So, it looks like it never passed through an arsenal for 'refurbishment'. It looks like it went home with somebody.
It is 47 and some inches long, has the 6 groove rifling, the correct hammer, sight, no Stabler, is still set up for rimfire cartridges and appears fully functional. I know it's a long shot, but I will be hunting for an old front stock and hope I don't have to go repro on that. I'm a patient guy.
So, any insight you fine folks may have, advice, gentlemanly arguments for or against it being a Copeland Spencer, I'd be happy to hear it. I've resized the pictures according to Two Flints tips on pixel dimensions but seem only able to attach 4. If I can do a follow up post on this thread with additional pictures, I will.