The FT Huachuca Museum M1865 Spencer Information Request ** Photo Added **

[Two Flints]

Hello SSS,

I received the following Email from Mr. Mark R. Henry of the Ft Huachuca Museum.

"The FT Huachuca Museum has an option on a M1865 Spencer sn# 8609.  The barrel is stamped M1865.  No Burnside markings.  I can't find any markings on the wood.  Has a stabler. 6 groove barrel. How do I know if this is a rebuilt 1860 of new made in 1865?  Can you id a unit based on the SN#?"

To which I responded:

Hi Mark,

"Does your M865 Spencer have a "Stabler Cut-off Switch" located just ahead of
the trigger?  I would need to see photos of the wood and receiver area to
really determine the answers to your questions.  My guess is that it is a
new Spencer - "the first Model 1865 Spencer Carbines were delivered to the
US Ordinance Department on April 3, 1865.  All were issued after the close
of the Civil War.  These deliveries continued until January, 1866.  Your
Spencer could have found its way out West with the US Cavalry or with
civilian owners.  But no records exist for the M1865 Spencers!

Photos and more measurements would have helped.  Length of barrel from
receiver to end".

To which Mark responded:

"19" barrel.  As I mentioned, it has a stabler. Barrel marked "M1865"  Action marked "Spencer.." Not a Burnside. Photo will follow.  Ok, no records on SN# on M1865 Spencers"?  

According to Mark, photos will be Emailed to me and I will post them to aid in identification.  I would appreciate any help from SSS experts to help identify this Spencer.

Received this photo from Mark:



Two Flints

[Arizona Trooper]

He is probably measuring the barrel from the front face of the receiver. I'll bet it's 20" from the face of the breechblock. I just worked on an M-1865 Spencer carbine with a sn very close to this one. It is a commercial carbine with assembly numbers on all the parts, and no inspectors cartouche. It has provenance to an Iowa Cav Regt. in late 1865. The state bought non-interchangeable commercial guns because the wait was too long for US Gov't spec Spencers. It has a good bit of sling ring wear, so was issued to a mounted unit for a while. It also has a Stabler's cutoff.

The museum's carbine is almost certainly not a rebuild, as that serial number would be on an M-1860 rifle.

Ft. Huachuca's museum is really good. I use to go down there a lot when I was at the U of Az. They have a very rare cavalry traveling forge on display, and a lot of other neat stuff. The Officers Row at Huachuca is great too. Still used for officer's quarters and, except for the paved streets, it still looks like 1890.