1860 Spencer rifle serial number check

[Big Goose]

 Attached are some pics of 1860 rifle 5576.
   It has a pretty decent bore, gotten a couple whitetails and one buffalo with it. It's been in the family for generations. Under the forestock was a couple slivers of heavy paper, dated Oct. 1868, and Charlestown??(not very legible) Indiana.
Curious about it's history.

Thank you, Big Goose

[Two Flints]

Big Goose,

Closest serial # I find to your 5576 is

#5574 a Spencer rifle issued to the 72nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry in 1864 (No day or month given).

Hope this helps,

Two Flints

[Big Goose]

Wow, only two digits different, and I have some provenance to Indiana in 1868.
if only these old guns could talk.
thanks again Two Flints,
BG

[Strongbow]

Issued in 1864, eh?

That's interesting.  The 72nd got it Spencers in May of 1863 (I think).  I wonder if this rifle was a replacement for one lost or damaged, or possibly a new recruit to the ranks (I read that the Indiana Lightning Brigade regiments did get replacement recruits through their service).

So, you have a cool rifle there.... one very likely used by the Lightning Brigade.  Tres Cool. 

[Two Flints]

Strongbow,

The SRS book Volume 4 indicates that a good number of Spencer Rifles issued to the 72nd Indiana Volunteer Cavalry were issued in April or May of 1863.  

The lowest serial # issued to the 72nd is #1958 issued in April, 1863.  After #1958 there are many different units that received Spencer Rifles, and NOT UNTIL serial #4502 do you see a very long listing of Spencer Rifles, one after another, issued to the 72nd, all the way up to #6308, issue dates 1863 and 1864, and then other units received the Spencer Rifle along with the 72nd . . . again all the way up to #8807 and beyond . . . very scattered issues to many different units.

Perhaps the 1864 issues were indeed replacements.

Two Flints