Got the Belgian Spencer

[Johnson Barr]

Wonderfully done close shots of the action. My wonderment is the interesting 'plate' addition to the magazine retainer bar. My exposure to original Spenser's is limited. Is that plate common to the original rifles and carbines? I can see the plate addition as a dandy way to load and eject cartridges loaded singly over the top. A sort of ramp for positive loading and ejection. Was there ever a magazine 'cut-off' option? The 'ramp' it seems would work well for single shot work while holding the magazine rounds in reserve. Just a thought.   

[John Brooder]

Johnson Barr,
Thank you for the reply.  Lookup "Stabler cutoff."  It was an early attempt to make the Spencer a single shot, either before or after the magazine was put into play. Apparently Spencer made a cutoff as well.
Best,
John

[John Brooder]

These are not mine but show the Stabler well.

[El Supremo]

Hello:

There are two common types of magazine cutoffs on Spencer's.

One is the type shown on the Belgian one here and some U.S. ones, which takes the form of a wider cartridge feed guide that pivots slightly to one side, but also acts as a ctg. guide.
The other is the Stabler, that John shows. The lever on the bottom of the trigger bar pivots to limit the lower block travel. The rear profile of the block assembly used with a Stabler is usually a bit different than the non Stabler one. Smiles.
El Supremo/Kevin Tinny

[Johnson Barr]

Thanks for the 'cut-off' pics. Probably not a retro fit for my early Armi-Sport Chiappa carbine. But I do like the retainer bar plate add on. Might be just the trick for simpler single shot work. Believe I'll order a spare bar from Liz in Columbus for possible modification.

[DJ]

Here are a couple photos of the Spencer cutoff (as opposed to the Stabler cutoff).
The little "fork" pivots about an eighth of an inch on the cartridge guide to block the "tooth" on the lower breechblock and keep it from opening all the way.

Spencer cutoff disengaged.


Spencer cutoff engaged.


It seems kind of fragile for a military gun--I have seen cartridge guides missing the little fork, and I suspect that dinky little screw is prone to failure.

[DJ]

I dunno why it posted the photos twice--sorry 'bout that.  But the bottom set zooms real big.

[DeaconKC]

Sad on the screws, but at least they look like they can be hammered and dressed.

[DJ]

This gun came to me with some "issues."  In addition to buggered screws, it had some wood problems and someone had filed off the serial numbers on both barrel and receiver.  It's an 1865 Navy model--I suspect someone at some point was trying to mimic an M1860 Navy.  I managed to recover the serial number with one of those forensic acid kits and --horrors--stamped the correct number next to the vague images of the originals.  At the same show where I bought the rifle, my better half spotted an "interesting, but I don't know what it fits" bayonet that I believe is the correct bayonet for this rifle--it fits nicely.  All in all it's a nice shooter at an appropriate price point.

[DJ]

Getting back to the Belgian Spencer, I would be interested to see details of the front and bottom of the breechblock.  The half-moon cutout below the firing pin looks like it was for the retaining screw found on an original, but there is no corresponding cutout on the pin itself.  The slot for your firing pin also doesn't go all the way to the front of the block.  I wonder if yours was made from a partially completed block, or if it had a piece added to fill in the front portion of the firing pin slot.

[John Brooder]

Please forgive me but I am foggy this morning.  I'm not sure what you need to see.  The 3 yr old has been up sick since 3 this morning and is home today ruining a planned day at the range shooting the Belgian.  I'm barely hanging on with a coffee IV.

This is firing pin retracted



This is firing pin extended



And a shot of the block from the rear