Cimarron Spencer in .45 Colt

[Pizen Switch]

Hello the fire!

I just picked up a Cimmaron Spencer in .45 Colt and have an interesting problem with it.  I can cycle dummy rounds through it with no problem, but when I fire live rounds, it jams up.  Won't cycle.  The empty isn't jammed in the chamber either.  I can remove it by just tapping the side of the barrel and it'll fall right out.  It cycles with no problem empty, only right after I've fired a round.  Anyone else seen this?  I really don't want to have to send it back to them and be without for who knows how long.

[Hell-Er High Water]

If you are not doing it, cock the hammer first or move it to the half cock position before trying to cycle the action after firing.  It may be that the firing pin is hanging up in the primer indent.  Check the firing pin for excessive length which can also result in pierced primers.

Also, check that the firing pin moves freely in the breech block and that the firing pin retaining screws on the side of the breech block are tight.

With the excessive mainspring strength on these firearms it may be that the hammer, when in the fired position, is holding the firing pin so tightly that it can't retract as the action is opened.

Just a few ideas to check on and problem areas to look for

HHW

[S. Quentin Quale, Esq.]

I have the same model.  I've not had this issue.  I do put the hammer to half-cock before cycling the mechanism.

The closest I've had to a problem was when my son fired it and (I guess worried he'd muck up Dad's new carbine) was tentative on the handle.  When he used appropriate "english" it cycled just fine.

Question for you, though:  how many rounds can you load?  Looks lke five is the capacity for mine.  Would that be right?

I've only had one chance to shoot it (I'm still a gimp after surgery to repair a torn biceps tendon).  Looking forward to getting out a bit more! 

SQQ

[major]

SQQ
In order to load 7 in the magazine you need to take the plug out of the fowler.  Take the fowler out of the magazine tube and take the screw out of the item that holds in the spring.  You can then unscrew the plug, reassemble the fowler and load 7 in the magazine.
Terry

[Pizen Switch]

SQQ

I removed the plug out of the follower and it now holds 7.  I talked to one of the folks at Cimarron and they told me that those have to be in there when they leave the factory in Italy.  Guess they have a 5 round rule there.

What brand of brass are you using?  I have only fired rounds made with Winchester brass in mine thus far.  I'm going to sort through my ammo today and see if that's the issue.  The little relief cut at the base of the case on the Winchester's seem to be narrower than some of the other ones I have. 

Hopefully I'll be able to get out this afternoon and try some other ammo.

UPDATE:

Well, I tried it with some other ammo I had with larger relief cuts in front of the rim and it didn't make a bit of difference.  The extractor still jams up on the case.......

[S. Quentin Quale, Esq.]

Thanks for the good groups on the plug and follower!!!!! 

So far I've just shot about 25 rounds of Magtech Cowboy Action loads.  I had one half box of "full bore" modern .45LC but "burned" that in a Ruger NMV; I just wasn't sure about using that in the Spencer!  The Magtech has worked 4.0.

My next "experiment" will be some .45LC blanks from Buffalo Blanks.  We've started to get involved in CMSA stuff (at least my wife has; I'm still "grounded"  ) and might like to take a crack at some mounted rifle shooting and cart shooting, too.  But that's probably a few months off so there' no hurry.

Thanks to all for help so far!

SQQ

[major]

SQQ
If you are thinking of using blanks in you Spencer you might want to read this article about making them from 410 shells.  Just click on this link.
http://www.9thnycavalry.webeditor.com/spencer_article.html
Terry

[Deadeye Don]

I was told that certain gun manufacturers are able to ship to the US without a load limit bar in the magazine.  Uberti apparently can ship rifles this way but Armi sport has to have rods placed in their rifles to limit capacity to 5 rounds.  Some distributors here will remove the limit bar, but others dont.

[US Scout]

Hello the fire!

I just picked up a Cimmaron Spencer in .45 Colt and have an interesting problem with it.  I can cycle dummy rounds through it with no problem, but when I fire live rounds, it jams up.  Won't cycle. 

Not sure if this will be helpful but I had the same problem with one of the first Taylor's Spencers in .44 Russian.  Over a period of time we tried everything - new springs, polishing, removing one of the extractors, replacing the extractors, reducing the number of rounds in the magazine, etc and the problem continued - but only with live rounds.  In my case, it would jam up so bad so that we had to take the action out to unload the jammed round.

In the end Taylor's and Co. just gave me another Spencer - which has worked fine ever since.