Does the Armi Sport breechblock fit an original Spencer?

[DJ]

I recently acquired an M1865 rifle and plan to shoot it.  I have three S&S breechblocks in other guns, but wish to acquire a dedicated block for this rifle.  I'm interested in trying a different brand, because 1) despite their advertising, S&S breechblocks don't actually fit without significant elbow grease, and 2) S&S breechblocks are expensive.

I looked through the archives, and could find no answer to this question, so if anyone knows, can they tell me if the Armi Sport Spencer upper breechblock will fit an original M1865 Spencer?

Thanks--

--DJ

[Herbert]

Aemi Sports bloks are close but do not fit ,I have found that the main problem with the S&S block is THE TENON that goes into the leaver is not squar to the block and needs thining slitly and the screw slot needs slitly enlarging,booth these jobs only take a little file work and can be done i a couple of minets just take measurments of oeiginal block,The desighn of the S&S block is far supiror to the AS block which has to have the screws locktitend to work properly

[Two Flints]

Hello SSS,

Almost two years ago, I sent the following Email to Armi Sport regarding the use of their breech block in original Spencers:

Regarding using an Armi Sport Conversion Block in an original Spencer, I'll
ask SSS members if they have ever tried it with success, and let you know
their experiences with such a conversion, if any.

I still think very strongly that Armi Sport should look into this "part
development".  As I indicated before there is always a demand for conversion
blocks for original Spencers.  I  really don't see how even with slight
modifications of your own Armi Sport conversion block,  Armi Sport would let
this "market opportunity" go undeveloped.

To which an Armi Sport representative replied:

Actually we do not have any new conversion block, but according to our
experience we think that our standard block can be mounted also on original
Spencers. We actually did it once here in our factory, but can't be sure
that the same can be done with all original Spencer rifles and carbines.

Two Flints

[Herbert]

Another cass of AS being loose with the truth,original spencers were made to Mil-spec and were inspected with guages ,if they did not fit these giages they were rejected(very few were)AS blocks would not come close to fiting these guages ,the S&S block does except for the tenon & slot at the botom of the stem,but I have fited a AS lock to a original Spencer with no trouble,some parts can be used on originals athers are close but not to spec also the treads are difrent on the screws,they came close to making a good replica but failed to understand that the geometry of the Spencer is critical for proper function

[savagefellow]

I got it to work by swapping the block, and the lever onto the original lower block, as it had a different extractor. Will have to see how the FP hole lines up.
Mike

[Herbert]

When I tryed swaping bloks I found that the AS block is too short ,though it will function it gives excesive head space

[DJ]

Thanks to all for your comments.  I guess I'm inclined to stick with the S&S for now--at least it's a known quantity.

--DJ