For my Spencer Experts - Please Check This Out, Thanks

[Two Flints]

Hello SSS,

Any idea what this ???cartouche??? means?  It appears on a Spencer Carbine with the serial #538.

According to the owner's son, the carbine was purchased some 40 years ago from an Atlanta, Georgia gun dealer.  This particular Spencer Carbine was just one sold from two crates of Spencers that came to the dealer from (maybe) Burma.



Two Flints

[Herbert]

The photo is not very clear, so it is hard to tell what script this is, but it is known that Thailand used Spencers, as did Japan; no information about Burma, but very posible Royal Guards in the region were equipped with the most up to date weapons of the period. There were a lot of 1867 and NM Spencers sent to Asia in the late 1860s early 1870s.

[Two Flints]

Herbert,

Thank you for your post.  What I can't explain is that the serial # on the owner's Spencer Carbine that supposedly came from Burma is #538, a very early model Spencer, and not as you suggested, an 1867 and NM Spencer.

I expect to get more photos from the owner and especially a better photo of the script and will post them as soon as I receive them.

Two Flints

[Herbert]

IT could be a 1865 model,all so there is a record of Spencer Carbines ,Rifles and even 3 sporting rifles being deliverd at the Port of Mulbourn ,Victoria Australia in 1864 even when these arms were baned from being exported from the USA northen states,but if it is a 1863 modle I would gess it has been sold as surplas after the CW and sold on to who ever wanted them in the 1000s from the the early 1870s up to 1900

[DJ]

I believe the script is Thai, not Burmese.  The last three digits (reading from the left) appear to be "420".  The first two may be letters, not numerals, but my minimal ability to recognize Thai letters and numerals has become very, very rusty.

[Herbert]

All so thinking about the serial no,it can only come of a 1860 rifle,1865 ,Spencer or Burncide or a Sporting rifle.If it is Thai it may be one of the Spencers given to Thai goverment in 1867 if so it would be a very good find as the model given is not known( it was thought to be 1867 Navy rifles)Pictures of this Spencer would be very interesting

[Two Flints]

Herbert,

Here are the photos you requested  I've been waiting for the owner to post his information and then I was to add these photos. . . but here they are.











This is what I Emailed the owner's son,

In my serial # books on Spencers, I show a Spencer Carbine with a serial # 539 issued to a member of Company A, 4th Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry; all of the other serial #s above and below #538 were issued to the 19th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry.  So maybe, your Dad's Spencer was first issued to either one of the above named two units. Just a guess on my part. But how it ended up in Burma is beyond me?

Two Flints

[Herbert]

At first glance this carbine apears to be one of the early hybrib 1865 modle carbines(these carbines were basicaly 1860 carbines chamberd for 56-50 and numberd in the low 1865 serial No range,below 2000,1860 model carbine serial no start at around 11000)how ever this carbine does not strictly comform to that patten,it has a front sling swivel(could have been added any time)but is the barrel 22 inches long,and what do the sights look like(these parts mesurments are not set in stone as this was a time when the 1865 pattern was being set an carbine could vary in small details untill the final 1865 pattern was set)A shame it was no a Navy rife as that would have ansared a question that has not been known ,butt still a very desirable early variation with lots of history