*** Photos Added ***Help Identify this Idaho Falls Spencer

[Two Flints]

Good evening Two Flints,  

I was in a gun shop this PM in Idaho Falls ID and saw a Spencer I thought may be of interest.  All my Spencer background material is in Phoenix and I am in here for the summer so I have no reference material to search.  

This Spencer, number 11XXX (only remember the first two number out of 5) was definitely not military grade and would appear to be made for commercial sales.  This is definitely not a rifle but longer than a carbine.  The barrel is 22 inches in length with a rather wide-base front site which is not typical of the carbine and installed in a dove-tail cut.  The rear site is typical Spencer Carbine.  The front grip is longer and thinner than the carbine and finished in the front with a steel cap.  

The rear stock contains a typical magazine tube feed with steel butt plate but the wood is of far better quality.  No saddle ring on the stock or behind the receiver.  English style grip and the stock seemed to be thinner than a carbine model.  The bore is good with distinct rifling and a few spots of pitting but I forgot to count the number of lands and groves.  Seller has it listed as a 56-50 but I wonder.

The action is typical Spencer rim fire.  The receiver is still 80-90% blue without rust and Spencer identification is clear.  Does not look to have been reblued.  Moderate peening on the receiver at the hammer shows the gun has been fired but only moderately.  The barrel is 60-70% blued with no obvious rust.  Wood is of good quality with no cracks but lots of surface dings and scrapes.  

The local dealer is noted for high prices and this is listed at $3,800.  My guess would be that this would be a very nice shooter but seems to have seen some rough handling from the condition of the wood.  But whatever the overall care, bluing is nice and surface rust is very minor.  Nice but not collector quality unless these are impossible to find.  You have any thoughts or know of any for comparison?

As another subject, my Burnside shooter is banging the steel targets with regularity.  The action is smooth, reliable and accurate at our SASS distances.  I can see would have been a dangerous weapon to face in battle.  I am having a blast and the Spencer get much attention at every match.  

If it seems desirable and others may want to know, let me know and I will post to the SSS.  

Reeves aka Paledun

[PvtGreg]

Nothing like shooting a Spencer at a Cowboy shoot.  I particularly love shooting in front of the "gamers"!

[Herbert]

Good evening Two Flints, 

I was in a gun shop this PM in Idaho Falls ID and saw a Spencer I thought may be of interest.  All my Spencer background material is in Phoenix and I am in here for the summer so I have no reference material to search. 

This Spencer, number 11XXX (only remember the first two number out of 5) was definitely not military grade and would appear to be made for commercial sales.  This is definitely not a rifle but longer than a carbine.  The barrel is 22 inches in length with a rather wide-base front site which is not typical of the carbine and installed in a dove-tail cut.  The rear site is typical Spencer Carbine.  The front grip is longer and thinner than the carbine and finished in the front with a steel cap. 

The rear stock contains a typical magazine tube feed with steel butt plate but the wood is of far better quality.  No saddle ring on the stock or behind the receiver.  English style grip and the stock seemed to be thinner than a carbine model.  The bore is good with distinct rifling and a few spots of pitting but I forgot to count the number of lands and groves.  Seller has it listed as a 56-50 but I wonder.

The action is typical Spencer rim fire.  The receiver is still 80-90% blue without rust and Spencer identification is clear.  Does not look to have been reblued.  Moderate peening on the receiver at the hammer shows the gun has been fired but only moderately.  The barrel is 60-70% blued with no obvious rust.  Wood is of good quality with no cracks but lots of surface dings and scrapes. 

The local dealer is noted for high prices and this is listed at $3,800.  My guess would be that this would be a very nice shooter but seems to have seen some rough handling from the condition of the wood.  But whatever the overall care, bluing is nice and surface rust is very minor.  Nice but not collector quality unless these are impossible to find.  You have any thoughts or know of any for comparison?

As another subject, my Burnside shooter is banging the steel targets with regularity.  The action is smooth, reliable and accurate at our SASS distances.  I can see would have been a dangerous weapon to face in battle.  I am having a blast and the Spencer get much attention at every match. 

If it seems desirable and others may want to know, let me know and I will post to the SSS. 

Reeves aka Paledun

This one sound like it may be a factory Spencer Sporting rifle,if this is so the for-end metal tip will be pewter,the barrel lenth shold be 26 inches or longer(though shorter ones have been reported)the front sight sounds original as does the butt-stock,caliber is mostly 56-46 but a few 56-50s were also made on special order,there also should be a tang sight or holes to scew one on at the back top of the action.These Spencer sporting rifles are much harder to find than most of the other modles and are the pick of the crop in my opinion as shooters and the supirior finidh and wood makes a fine looking rifle.Pricing a rifl without seeing it is very problimatic as there can be many small factors that can increase or decrease value,that being stated these sporting rifles if it is indeed one bring high prices and do not come up for sale very oftern

[Two Flints]

Thanks Herbert,

Here is more information as provided by Paledun:

My second trip for pictures provided additional information.  The Spencer patent date is  1860, the serial number is 11830 and the barrel contains 6 lands/groves.  For condition, the toe of the stock is badly cracked and the chamber is badly pitted or gouged on the firing pin side.  While my copy of Roy Marcot's book is in Arizona, I looked at the cover picture on Amazon and found a picture identical to this rifle.  The cover shows three rifles; a carbine, a rifle and what I am calling a commercial model in between the other two.  Would be very interested in the Marcot information which a SSS member may be able to provide.  Tight lines.  Paledun

[Herbert]

This is a very ealy Spencer Sporting rifle,likly pre production as there is no provision for the peep sight,most likly only about 7 without the peep sight feture were made,these were made from Spencer military rifle frames and finished to a much higher standard as can be seen.Serial No range for these can fall in the 6000,8000.11000,12000,28000 range but this one is oboviousy made very early on so the 11000 range would be right,also not the mix of fetures that were latter incorparated in the 1865 model ,the rounded frame opening and the beveled hammer nose.Christopher Spencer had one of these sent to his father on 31st October 1864 and  would have been the same as this rifle(I do not have the serial number of this rifle so there is no way to know if this is the rifle but it would be a close to + or - one in 7 chance it may be, as serial Number 11829 and 11893 is fitted with a peep sight as were all other production Spencer Sporting rifles)This is one rifle that I would pay extra for though others would not,if you can aford it grab it the price may seem high now but you will never see another one ,a good restorer can fix any problems it has and would be well worth the cost,but make sure they understan the history of this rifle.Also check the caliber if it is a 56-46 it will be the Sprinfield 56-46 long cartridge or it is posible that is could be chamberd for the 56-56 cartridge,very unlikely