Romano Spencer carbine on Gunbroker

[El Supremo]

Hello:

Just noticed Gunbroker Item #797915625, described as new, unfired, for sale.


Respectfully,
El Supremo//Kevin Tinny

[PJ Hardtack]

Wow! A mere $5300 !!!

You could buy two originals from the same site in shooting condition for that.

[Blair]

PJ,

Aside from the initial sticker shock, one of the issues is the modern shooter wanting to shoot modern powders in a firearm meant for BP only!
This was one of the major concerns for those that started producing the center fire breech blocks for use in original BP guns such as Spencer & Sharps. The potential for being sued because of the stupidity of the shooter has always been very real where original,antique,historical firearms are concerned.
Modern manufactures have tried to eliminate the "idiot" factor by producing weapons using modern materials. Even into Muzzle loading firearms, which is why they are marked "Black Powder Only".
A Ramano Spencer is the best of the best in modern m and materials and quality.
My best,
Blair

[PJ Hardtack]

No argument, but my comment still stands.

Romano rifles are undoubtedly the ne plus ultra of ACW repro arms and deserving of their price. It's just a question of affordability.

[El Supremo]

Hello:

I neither know who owns this Romano NOR have ANY connection, whatsoever, to the listing/sale.
I suspect it is a veteran N-SSA skirmisher because of his near Winchester, VA location.

I bought my first Romano Spencer, 100% new, etc for $4,200 approximately 10 years ago, via Two Flints' help, here, when Larry was at least FOUR years out on orders for them.  
 
There will be no more Romano Spencers via Larry.  He is finishing the last two and has repeatedly said that's it!  He had orders for eight a year ago and took two!  The price is high, but if one saw what goes into one, it would be more understandable.

This one is the fourth in those ten years that has appeared for sale via Internet sellers, and I have two of those four and others via Larry because orders were not picked up! I accidentally caught him three days before he was leaving for the Baltimore Show to sell two carbines many years ago.  

His receivers, bottom and upper blocks are of deeply hardened 8620 alloy, the same stuff used in M1 Garands.  
Other internals are the best, through-hardened alloys available.
Chamber and bore are "dead nuts".

Price seems high, but it will sell, as have ALL the others in even well-used shape for no less than the asking price.  The price of this one is barely more than Larry recites, but with NO MORE coming from him, it's a seller's market.  And Larry has all the spares one might ever need. I have five of his Spencers and am pondering.

Farm land next to your farm only becomes available once during your lifetime.  Hmmm.

All the best.
El Supremo/Kevin Tinny

[PJ Hardtack]

The market decides in the end. Something is worth what someone will pay for it.

I have overpaid for items a few times in my life because I appreciated what I was buying and knew the market. I never did it considering resale or investment.

You pays you money - you takes you choice .... 

[Blair]

PJ,
Would you give up any of your Shiloh Sharps for something made in Italy? Even though the end product decides what its end value maybe worth?

That was my point for posting in this thread.

My best,
Blair

[PJ Hardtack]

No, I would not, but if a Pedersoli was within the budget and a Shiloh was not, I could quite happily live with the Ped.

A pal had a rare 45-70 Ped 'Gemmer' Sharps which was a very nicely put together rifle. Looked like a Hawken at first glance. I considered buying it, but it had such a heavy straight octagon barrel it would have been a bench rest rifle for me and with that crescent butt plate, a real kicker!

[mgmradio]

 My take on this is ; Why buy a reproduction when you could buy a fine original for the same price ?
I personally have and only shoot originals , and thy perform beautifully. Now if it was something like a Morse carbine or rifle for that price I would pay it as originals are 4 times the price and very rare.
Just my 2 cents .

[Two Flints]

Kevin,  El Supremo, I mean dad,

Will you adopt me

Two Flints

[El Supremo]

Update on ROMANO SPENCERS and prices:

Perhaps due to the high asking price and minimim bid, there were no bidders and only three "followers" on this Romano Spencer carbine.

After the listing was taken down I contacted the seller for photo's to verify condition and other information for my ROMANO historical file.  We talked and quickly agreed on terms and price, IF AS DESCRIBED.  Sadly, over the past ten years I have seen a few that were disappointing and NOT as described. While restorable by Romano to as-new, the cost to do so ALWAYS put the total ABOVE his current listed price.

During mid-May, I visited the seller(s) in WV to inspect it.
FINE people!  One is retired SpecOp's then a LEO and the other a retired school teacher, both with old fashioned values. They are avid Civil War reenactors with an ARTILLERY battery.  The Romano Spencer was taken in partial payment for a debt.

Anyway, the Romano Spencer, frame #10445, was entirely as represented, 100% mint, unfired/unblemished.  As near as we can determine It has been through at least five owners that had taken remarkable care of it during the roughly 15 years since it was delivered.  I was amazed at its as-new/originally delivered condition and bought it. 

How do 15-year old ones appear as-new?
I have encountered MINT Romano Spencers that were simply bought, oiled and hung on a wall next to used originals in collections.  Another one, Garvey's, just sat NEW and well preserved in a case for years

As for REAL prices:
Over the past eight years, the net cash PAID to sellers, whether direct or through middle-men (such as G'Broker w/fees), for about a dozen either mint or 99% condition Romano Spencers, has ranged between $3,200 and $3,900 with $3,500 being more likely.  I paid $3,900 for #10445 and $4,200 for my first one (Chuck Garvey's RIFLE) several years ago with Two Flints' help.  All my others were $3,000 - $3,800.  It seems that both reenactors and skirmishers have a price range in mind.  Yes, the past four or five new ones left Larry's shop for the $5,XXX price, but now no more will be built.  Demand is DOWN for a lot of reasons and I think the $3,500 average amount will prevail for the next few years. 

Interestingly, there is a loose network of Romano Spencer owners that will call one another if they want to sell/trade or buy one they know of.  Some describe these as "one phone call guns".  They sell off the grid, over the phone, over the camp fire, etc.  Reports of prices PAID fit into the above range for mint ones.  If used and not abused, the cash price is about $200 - $400 less.  Other sales situations I have experienced involve sellers seemingly in a rush rejecting reasonable cash offers and then listing and selling at INTERNET 'sites (with fees) for LESS net to them than the cash offer. 

From about 1998 to present, from sketchy, but always accurate and congenial conversations with Larry and other first and second hand shared information, it appears that Larry delivered approximately 76 of his Spencers.  Rifles were maybe 20% of that total that involved approximately 40 of the three-digit first grouing and approximately 36 of the final, two-digit group.  Larry indicated to me that within the total run of his Spencers, there are a couple GEMMER style ones and one elaborate rifle with OLIN engraving similar to the "Cheny one in Marcot with curly maple stock".

All the best,
El Supremo/Kevin Tinny

[dm3280]

After reading this post I consider myself very lucky.  I bought my Spencer carbine from Larry when the price was just a little above $2000. I told him at the time he was going to have so many orders he would be years behind. He sort of laughed and said he doubted that.
My Spencer is my pride and joy and doubt I will ever part with it.  I own other high quality guns but none will ever top the Romano Spencer, period
My wife who does not care for guns but shot it and now calls it her gun.

[El Supremo]

Hello, DM:

Thanks for the helpful Romano info. 
If possible, please share your loading info, including bullet, alloy, lube, case dim's and results. 
A couple close-up photo's of the action would be nice, also.
Much appreciated.
Respectfully,
El Supremo/Kevin Tinny