Peculiar variation on this M1860 Spencer Rifle

[lhawk1970]

Hello all!

I recently acquired this 1860 Spencer Rifle.  Can you help me identify some of it's peculiarities:

1.  The barrel bayonet lug seems to be too far forward on the barrel at least according to other models I have seen.
2.  There is a hole on the lower right of the receiver (it is tapped and ready for a screw)
3.  There is a metal pin slightly above this hole on the same side of receiver.
4.  I have completely taken the gun apart and there is no serial number on anypart including the back of the receiver and underneath the barrel.
5.  The hammer seems to be tapered slightly and it only has one-click as it is cocked in full position.  The Spencer's I have seen have two clicks?

It has some basic flaws including some minor cracks in the wood, cracked firing pin, rear sight spring missing, and the back of the magazine broken.  Otherwise it is in pretty darn good shape.  The barrel looks like it has been fired very little..if ever!

What the heck do I have here?  Any ideas?

[DJ]

The barrel on your Spencer looks like it was shortened from a Navy-type barrel with bayonet lug.  The receiver appears to be an 1860 model.

With the absence of serial numbers, it kind of looks like a "project" from leftover parts or somesuch. 

I have seen gunsmith modifications where a shotgun barrel is added underneath and parts are mounted on the right side to direct the hammer strike to one or the other barrel, but don't have one in front of me so cannot tell if the pin and hold correspond to that sort of mod.  In the ones I have seen, the forend was removed to add the second barrel as an over/under.

So that's not much help, but it is an interesting puzzle.

--DJ

[lhawk1970]

Thanks DJ you have definantly given me a start! 

I have measured the barrel and overall length and it is 30" and 47" respectively.  I too at first thought the barrel had been shortened but aren't I correct that the Army and Navy models were both this length?

Any idea you have is better than I have right now.....stumped!

Lhawk!

[Arizona Trooper]

I think what you have is an Army barrel with an Army forstock that someone has added a Navy bayonet lug to. The true Navy forestock is shorter than an Army. It looks like a Bannerman or project made up from parts, probably a long time ago. I'll bet you will have problems fitting a CF breechblock, as the parts are probably all condemned. Any little "C"s stamped in them?

[Two Flints]

Hello lhawk1970,

Where did you get your Spencer?  I remember someone on one of the gun auction sites had a Spencer rife for sale that was put together with parts from several different Spencers...does yours have a serial #?  More photos would be nice to look at.  Send them to me and I will enlarge them for you and then add them to your original thread.

Two Flints

[lhawk1970]

Yeah I picked it up from an auction sight but the seller had no idea about the details of it.

No there are no serial numbers anywhere.  I will agree with you that is does look somewhat pieced together.  I picked it up to attempt to convert it to a shooter, but with what Arizona Trooper is saying I may have some trouble.

AZ trooper also mentioned something about "C's"....none of the parts have any markings, accept for the barrel bands which have a "U"

Any more advice?  What y'all have given me so far is tremendous!  Thank you so much!

[Two Flints]

Still would like to see more photos of your Spencer

[lhawk1970]

Here ya go!

[Two Flints]

lhawk1970,

Thanks for the additional photos.  I would have preferred a better look at the entire stock, and the barrel.  Wish you had sent them to me at fsgrand2@fairpoint.net, so I could really enlarge them for a better look see.

Thanks for posting them.  Wish you the best with your restoration.  Keep us posted on how it goes.

Two Flints