Block swings out of the action when pulled open, fixes?

[Roscoe Coles]

I just got the conversions done on my "original" Spencer (It is heavily worked over so its hardly original) and without the Stabler cutoff installed the entire action will swing out the bottom of the receiver if worked hard.  With the Stabler cut off installed it is dragging and actually eating into the cut off!  On another site I ran across a mention of installing a washer to stop a "common jam" in the Spencer but I had never heard of it. 

The problem seems to be caused by the block moving too far down into the lower block so that the tab on the trigger bar does not catch the block and keep it in.  I was thinking of placing a thin fitted washer under the block (around the pin) to make sure that it does not slip by.  Is this actually a common problem and is this a common solution?

This thing has been a fight to get done but except for this hag up it is working like a champ.  The "new" extractor/ejector shucks shells out like no body's business compared to the original "knife" style.  An article with photos will soon follow.

[Herbert]

i used a washer the fist time i fixed a spencer for this problem,it worked fine,but then i thort i should do it properly,i built up thr front of triger plate so it fits groove in breach block this alowes action to work smoothly and it carnt overtravel,with cutoffjust a couple of strokes with file so it just clears cutoff groov and it will work ,over travell was also a comon problem with originals,i have seen a few with both styles of fixes

[Arizona Trooper]

The washer will work fine. You could also glue some shims into the lower block with JB Weld to keep the upper block from dropping down too far. If the lower block is the problem, S&S Firearms has original M-1865 lower blocks that will work just fine in M-1860s. It's a good idea to get another extractor, extractor screw and the M-1865 Stabler extractor spring & screw. (This holds the extractor forward and makes single loading a lot easier.) Once in a while the extractor screw refuses to come out and it's better to just leave it in place and install another extractor in the replacement block.

[Roscoe Coles]

I have the later style lower block but I have abandoned it in favor of a new Taylor's one (see the article I just posted for details) but it does it with the original and reproduction blocks.  I think I will make a fitted shim and use it for now.   There is no reason for the block to go this far down.  I might build up the tab on the trigger bar at a later date when I can get to a welder. 

[Hambone]

I  took a different route in fixing my Spencer. I put a steel rod inside the block spring so that the block can't collapse as far. Getting the right length rod is a trial and error process. If the rod is too long the block can't collapse far enough and the groove in the block will drag on the end of the trigger bar. Once I got the rod the right length I beveled the ends so that it wouldn't hang on the coils of the spring then I cold blued it and oiled it.  John

[Roscoe Coles]

I  took a different route in fixing my Spencer. I put a steel rod inside the block spring so that the block can't collapse as far. Getting the right length rod is a trial and error process. If the rod is too long the block can't collapse far enough and the groove in the block will drag on the end of the trigger bar. Once I got the rod the right length I beveled the ends so that it wouldn't hang on the coils of the spring then I cold blued it and oiled it.  John

Great idea and simple!  I will try that, perhapse out of some brass rod I have here.  It would not mar anything.