Help with shotgun mfg date?

[Hard Mouth]

Howdy Pards,

Need a little help, if you could be so kind. Recently got a Spencer (Not Bannerman!) pumpgun off Gunbroker. Trying to pin down date of mfg. Have looked at Marcot (briefly, don't have my own), but couldn't nail it down. It's a restoral, so that may be part of the problem. (Problem, yes, but looks about 5 years old...) S/N is 898 (might be 868 if held barrel-down, don't think it matters..). Reblued, receiver looks flawless, couple of small mars under the blue on the barrel. Barrel has small all-caps marking "SPENCER ARMS CO.WINDSOR,CT. U.S.A.PAT.APR.1882",  one line, very clean, down the top (re-barrel?).

Stock is dark hardwood (not good at identifiying woods), refinished over broken wrist repaired with dowel. Pump forend is much lighter, more orange. 3" long, with the diamond checkering crisp (probably replacement?) (not the fluted forend).

Yes, I know that restorals reduce collector value, but I don't much care. It's kinda pretty in its hunch-backed way, and I didn't pay a whole lot for it. Spencer pumps don't seem to have much value except to us , anyway...

If you have any info, I'd be much obliged...

Hard Mouth

PS Can take pics if my above descriptions don't suffice, but I don't know how to post 'em. But, I could learn!

[Two Flints]

Hi Hard Mouth,

By all means post the photos or send them to me as attachments to  fsgrand2@fairpoint.net    and I will post them for you as part of your original text.

These two pages from the Marcot book may be of some help to you.  Note in the first photo the serial # range which fits what you have on your Spencer Shotgun.





Two Flints