*** Photos Added *** Identifying my Spencer 1865?

[Deadeye Will]

I have just become the happy owner of a Spencer 1865 carbine.  In honor of its arrival, I decided it was time to join the forum.  Probably several other forums as well, as I have a small collection of Winchester rifles and Colt single action army revolvers.  And I've also gotten interested in the 19th century double actions recently.

Back to the Spencer, I believe it is an 1865 because the bore measures .512, the barrel is unlined and has 6-groove rifling, and it has a Stabler cutoff.  The markings are a little less clear.  There is no M1865 stamp on the barrel in front of the receiver, but there is an LC stamp where an inspector's mark should be on the left side of the barrel near the receiver and a C*W stamp on top of the barrel under the barrel band.  The barrel is bunged up by tool marks from what appears to be an attempt to remove it, and also clean, shiny and without  under the forend, which I have never encountered in an old rifle.  I cant see any cartouches under the blackened varnish on the stock, which I intend to remove unless someone tells me it is a feature, not a bug.

I will post pictures taken from different angles when I figure out how to do that, and I'd be very interested in any ideas, history or suggestions y'all could give me

Thanks for welcoming me to the Forum

Deadeye Will

[Two Flints]

Hi Deadeye Will,

Maybe the following info from the Marcot book will be of interest to you, and as I suggested to you in my earlier Email about your Spencer.




Two Flints

[ndnchf]

Congrats on your new carbine!  We like photos.  I'd suggest using photobucket to host your photos, then you can post the image link here and the photo will appear in your post.  If it were me, I'd leave the original finish as is.  That's part of its heritage and character.  Welcome aboard!

[Deadeye Will]

Thanks to both of you.  Working on photos, with Two Flints help.  And the page from Marcot is very helpful, the pairs of initials I can see on the barrel could be part of LCA and ECW's marks, which if I read it correctly would confirm it is an 1865 worked on at Springfield Armory.
















                          (Photos Posted by Two Flints)