Reproduction Spencers

[CavalryCowboy]

Hello, I recently acquired an Armi Sport Spencer which is labelled as the 1865 model.  I have looked at a variety of the repros and there appears to be quite a variance in the carbines.  Some have a front sling swivel, others do not, some have the stadler cut off, some have a front barrel band...etc. I have a "Guns of the Old...." magazine with a Taylor & Co ad in the front pages and on the back page the the Spencer Carbine in each is different. Front is with forestock sling swivel and the stadler cutoff, which appears to be a new reproduction and the rear page has an 1865 model, no forestock sling swivel and no cutoff but it appears to be an original Spencer or a repro with an old finish.  There are even differences in the websites for the manufacturers and US companies that sell the Spencers.

Can someone let me know just which model is being made?  Can I get a front sling swivel Barrel band?  Can I install a Stadler cutoff?

[Snakeeater]

I realize what you are saying about the variations between the Spencer Carbines as these are illustrated on the Chiappa, Cimmarron, and Taylor's & Co. websites, but this (I think) would be a matter best taken up with the importers.

http://www.chiappafirearms.com/products/81

http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/repeating-rifles-1/spencer-1.html

http://www.taylorsfirearms.com/cartridge-rifles/1865-spencer-accessories.html

Not that I own one of the Armi Sport replicas, but I too have observed that Taylor's & Co features their carbine without the front barrel band like appears on the Chiappa website, and that the carbine featured on Chiappa's website does not show the sling swivel on the barrel band like is shown in the one featured on Cimmarron's website with the front sling swivel. Curiously, while Cimmaron and Taylor's each illustrate carbines featuring the Stabler device, the carbine illustrated on Chiappa's website does not? Some others here may be able to speak more directly to this matter.

As to whether you can get one of the forward sling swivel barrel bands, I would think you could order one from Cimmaron since they clearly depict that part on their carbine.  You may have to do some minor fitting but it seems since the carbine is made by the same manufacturer, the two bands should be interchangeable. I will mention that you need to be careful when ordering the front band with the sling swivel not to have it mixed up for the sling swivel band for the Spencer Rifle which will not interchange with the carbine.

The Stabler device is another matter entirely because it requires certain other modifications to the carbine for it to work that may not be present in your carbine? From my own experience using original carbines equipped for the Stabler device versus those equipped with the Spencer cutoff, you may like the latter cutoff device better, and it can be installed without all the other alterations needed to install the Stabler device. Beside, the upper breech block for the Armi Sport seems to already be nearly the same configuration as the later modifications for the Spencer cutoff, and may be simple enough for you to install without much effort. If you will examine the photos of the Belgian Spencers, they were equipped with the Spencer cutoff.

The Spencer cutoff device was incorporated into the cartridge follower guide located on top of the upper breech block, and when the pivot arm or gate is pivoted to one side or the other this prevents the lower block guides from rotating farther rearward enough to engage the magazine, preforming much the same function as had the Stabler device without the additional machining.

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,30928.0.html

[Herbert]

Some of the fist 44 Russian Armie Sports Spencers were sold with front sling swivels and the Stabler cutt-off,these are very hard to find an I concider them modern colectables however the early Spencers had lots of teething problems and needed a lot of work to make them reliable.The Stabler cutt-off can not be used with the Lane type extractor as used on all later AS Spencers but as has been mentioned the Spencer cutt-off is a much better option anyway