Spencer Shotgun Questions

[Harve Curry]

I don't think I ever saw one or handled one.
For what reason(s) did the SASS dudes outlaw it??
What is wrong with the Spencer shotgun?
Maybe I need one

[St. George]

The Spencer shotgun was the first successful American slide action shotgun.

They were made from 1882 - 1889 by Spencer Arms Company of Windsor, Connecticut - but ran into financial difficulties and the Spencer Patents were bought by Francis Bannerman & Sons - of New York City in about 1890.

It was built in both take-down and solid frame configuration - in different grades of quality - and went up to 10 gauge.

Bannerman would continue it's manufacture until 1907.

This pump shotgun was the first widely accepted repeating shotgun - eventually surpassing the double-barrel in popularity.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Two Flints]

Hi Harve,

I own two of the Spencer shotguns.  Right after I purchased my first used and abused Spencer shotgun, SASS, I think, decided that using the Spencer shotgun was a liability issue and banned their use ???because of the Damascus barrel??? at SASS Shoots.

There have been a few for sale on Gunbroker.com, but they are over-priced in my opinion.  If you're thinking about getting one try for one of the Spencer original shotguns and not one of the later Bannerman-Spencer models.

Choupique, a member of SSS, repaired one of my Spencer shotguns and made a new firing pin for me.  I think it would be OK to PM him with any questions you have about the Spencer shotgun.

Two Flints

[Two Flints]

Harve,

Just thought I'd add that Gunbroker.com has about six Spencer shotguns for sale.  Just go to their home page and in the search window type "Spencer" and all the Spencers rifles, carbines and shotguns will be displayed.

Two Flints

[Bead Swinger]

I wonder why no one has repro'd them? They are beautiful, and look like they'd handle quite nicely.

[St. George]

They handle 'well enough' - not as smoothly as an original Winchester, though - but in the scheme of things, they were the predecessor and anything coming afterwards was a product improvement.

I'd imagine that getting another Chinese factory to produce them properly may be a lot to ask, if you remember, when the Chinese reproduced the Winchesters - there were a lot of QC problems.

Introducing a new design would only invite more of the same.

Originals are available and fairly reasonably priced at gun shows - though that's not quite the case on the auction sites.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!