Spencer anecdote

[Joe Lansing]

    I have a more senior friend who related this to me: When he was in high school in Brooklyn, N.Y. after WWII, on occasion he and a few friends would play hooky from school together. They would take the subway into Manhattan and go to Francis Bannermans at 501 Broadway. There they would take their combined funds and buy a Spencer carbine and a quantity of ammunition.
    They would then take the subway back to Rockaway, go out to the breakers (on the ocean) and shoot at bottles and cans thrown into the water. After they were done (out of ammo), they would throw the Spencer in the water and go home.
   
    OH MY! HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED.

                                             JL

[Blair]

I too have heard of similar anecdotes. Although none involved throwing the gun away afterwards.
One could buy the gun for about $2.50 and ammo for about the same price which would also include the shipping for both.
I have heard the amount of ammo could be as large as a case (1000 + rounds).
It is, however, important to note that in 1900 to 1910, $5 to 6 bucks was a heck of a lot of money for most folks... and then to throw it in the water? I find that a bit hard to believe.
My best,
 Blair

[Herbert]

When I was a young man I was given a sealed tin case of 2000 Winchester 56-52 cartridges,when opened these were like new ,of cause I shot them all away in a couple of years not thinking any thing of it,then I found I had to make center-fire block for the carbine so I could keep shooting this carbine,it took over 20 years before I got the same accuracy with my re-loads as the original Winchester rim-fire cartridges gave me

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[Joe Lansing]

P.S.: A Spencer in the late 40's was five bucks.

                                      JL