Spencer spotted in Paris

[Jack Wagon]

While visiting Paris I stopped by Napoleon's tomb at the Hotel of the Invalides and viewed their extinsive collection of military equipment. Up on the third floor I spied this nice 56-50 Spencer Rifle on display with a fully equipped soldier. It's too bad they didn't supply him with a quick loader.  JW

[Two Flints]

Hi Jack,

Thanks for posting . . . any chance you have a profile photo that shows the Spencer receiver from the side (view)? 

Thanks again,

Two Flints

[Jack Wagon]

 Two Flints,   The glare on the glass made for tough shooting. This is the best I could do.  JW

[Two Flints]

Jack,

Good enough, just wanted to see the "shape" of the receiver in the photo.

Thanks again,

Two Flints

[St. George]

Actually, they did supply him with a Quickloader.

They found it just about as useful as we did...

I bought a number of them, 'and' nice condition Spencers when I was stationed in Europe - at that time, the dollar was strong, and stuff still came out of the woodwork.

Scouts Out!

[Drydock]

They've been tried a number of times at our GAF matchs.  Everyone gets rid of them after the first run.  PIA.  Belt or pouch is much better.  A wonderful concept that does not work in the field.

[Fox Creek Kid]

As well, notice a very early khaki style uniform which was landmark for the time.

[Snakeeater]

Yes, it was my understanding that the French adopted brown trousers quite early. One story goes that a captured British officer was being interrogated by a French officer who asked why British officers wore bright red coats, suggesting they were so easily seen on the battlefield. The British officer replied that the British officers wore red coats so that when they were shot the blood would not show and frighten the soldiers under their command. The British officer then asked his interrogator why French officers wore brown pants?

[Jack Wagon]

Good one Snakeeater. I was staying near the 14th century fortress Chateau de Vincennes, where they manufactured 56-50 and 56-52 Spencer ammunition in the mid 1870's. Claude Minie' perfected the mini ball there in 1849.  JW

[Snakeeater]

Yes, that's the popular mythos, but I find it interesting that long before Claude Minie began delving into this subject, a British captain John Norton was the inventor of the cylindro-conical projectile (1818) and a number of inventors had already devised self-expanding bullets when, in 1836, Greener developed such a bullet consisting of a flat-ended oval ball with a cavity in which a metal plug was inserted. When the gun fired, the plug drove forward and caused the bullet to expand and engage the rifle grooves. Greener then submitted his invention to the British government, but it was rejected; later during the Crimean War, Claude Minié received £20,000 from the British government for a similar bullet, Greener sued for plagiarism and ultimately was awarded £1,000. Then in 1856, it was James Burton, of Harpers Ferry Armory, who discovered through experiments the iron plug was an unnecessary improvement, so the American "Minie" ball was only applied in name and was not materially the same. Of course, the name Norton ball or Greener ball, or even Burton ball just did not have the zing as did the "minie ball"! And today we have both the "mini-ball" and the "maxi-ball".