Spencer 56/50 carbine stiff action problem

[red leg]

My 56/50 tailors carbine feeds and loads great. My problem is opening the breach after firing. I can not cycle the action while holding the carbine to my shoulder.The action is very stiff an extremily difficult to open after each shot. Any suggestions.  Red Leg in Ga

[Drydock]

Remove the breechblock and check the condition of the return spring on the firing pin.

[Sloan Dodgy]

Have you tried bringing the hammer to half-cock before you cycle the lever?  My .56-50 won't open on a fired round unless I first raise the hammer.  Since you're not likely to be in a real hurry (you are shooting a Spencer, after all...) the extra motion of cocking first, then working the lever won't affect your times much.

If the action is stiff even with the hammer raised Sgt Drydock has some good advice up there.

[Drydock]

Good advice.  I always cock before cycling, to insure the firing pin is unloaded and fully disengaged from the primer.  Full cock on the firing line, half cock every where else.

[red leg]

My 56/50 tailors carbine feeds and loads great. My problem is opening the breach after firing. I can not cycle the action while holding the carbine to my shoulder.The action is very stiff an extremily difficult to open after each shot. Any suggestions.  Red Leg in Ga

Thanks to Sgt. Drydock and Chili Mac my problem is solved . Bringing the hammer to full or half cock before cycling  the acton solved everything. I really love shooting my Spencer. I went to the range today and fired over a 100 rds of assorted loads with no cycling problem. My carbine seems to like 35 gr of 3f, rapine .512 bullet ,hard lead bullets with mag. primers. Has anyone tryed larger loads of compressed powder?--Agin thanks for the help. Red Leg

[mtmarfield]

   Greetings!

  If my firing pin was hanging up like that, I'd take it to a 'smith & see if he could eliminate the protrusion when the hammer is all of the way down; in other words, the slide/firing pin inertially strikes the primer, and then the firing pin spring pushes the slide/firing pin back into the breech block enough so that it doesn't poke out of the breech block and hang up the gun when cycling, or drag across the face of a live primer.
  In the original Manual of Arms, the Spencer is 'Loaded' {Ctg. in Chamber}, and then the Hammer is drawn back; there's no mention of 'half-cock first'. I think that a Spencer that is dragging its firing pin across a primer, live or unfired, is no bueno; not to mention the extra effort and time involved in: 1. half cock, 2. cycle action, 3. full cock, 4. fire! That shouldn't have to happen, but until you get your Spencer looked at, you may want to do the "Half-Cock Four Step"!

              Be Well!

                                M.T.Marfield
                                   7-27-06

[Drydock]

This is indeed true, but remember that those Spencers were rimfires, with a broad flat striker as opposed to a firing pin. 

While the inertial firing pin should retract, dirt or fouling can still cause hang ups, so as for a Sharps, I would still cock first to avoid the chance of damage.  By using full cock on the firing line, no time is lost. IMHO, have a cup of coffee on me . . .

[Black River Smith]

As Drydock stated,

Just to add the spring inside the block would have to over come the weight of the hammer and the force of that huge mainspring.  The gun was not designed to do that.

[mtmarfield]

   Greetings!

   I've just returned from visiting Dad in NM; we took a drive up to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center / Museum. The center as a whole was good, but the firearms museum was worth the drive; there are firearms that I'd only read vague references to! Yes, there are Spencers, too!Make The Trip!!!
   Thanks for the coffee {;)}, but I stand by my original statement: if the firing pin drags on a primer, have it looked at!

                 Be Well!

                                      M.T.Marfield
                                        8-11-06

[Ed Clintwood]

I've noticed on my Armi Sport carbine that if I leave the hammer down and cycle the action, I get a VERY tiny dent on the primer.  Cocking first solves that problem, but I've not had a misfire (yet) doing it the other way.  I guess you takes your chances... .