Looking for info on my Spencer carbine

[Keepitcheap]

Hi
I am new to this site.
I am looking for info on my Spencer carbine serial number 26721
There is a c stamped into the left side of trigger card and an M stamped forward of the strap that screws into the stock(3 screws) and receiver(1 screw) on the left hand side. An S on the right hand side strap. A T on the hammer and a 38 on the right hand side of both interior parts that are exposed when you cycle the action. The name John Koehler is carved into the stock

the info I got when I purchased it called it a Spencer Carbine Conversion Rolling Block Shotgun 30" barrel.

Any history info and value would be greatly appreciated

M

[Two Flints]

Keepitcheap,

I found a Spencer carbine serial # 26720 issued to a member of Company C, 4th Kentucky Mounted Infantry in March of 1865.  Interestingly, all the Spencer serial #s above 26720 and below it were issued to the same unit.  So there is a very good chance your Spencer serial # 26721 was issued to the same unit.

See this link:  http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bigsandyvalley/Union%20Regiments%20of%20Kentucky/4kyinf.html  Paragraph below taken from the above link:

While the regiment was at Lexington, Lt. Col. Hunt, whose Chickamauga wound had permanently disabled him, resigned. Major Kelly was made lieutenant colonel, and Capt. Tompkins, Company E, promoted to major. May 16th the regiment marched to the front, with twenty-five officers and about five hundred and fifty well mounted men for duty, and armed, except Companies A and K, which had Spencer carbines, with the Ballard breach loading rifle, which proved a failure in the first engagement

Regarding the name John Koehler he was a KIA and was assigned to the Kentucky 22nd Infantry Regiment.  

Hope this helps,

Two Flints

[PvtGreg]

Keepitcheap - I also found a reference to a John Koehler in the 1st Ohio Cav, but Two Flints info is much more accurate.

[Herbert]

Could you post pictures of your Spencer you do not oftern see the shot gun converted Spencers

[Snakeeater]

Gents,

This Spencer repeating shotgun conversion is not a M1860 Carbine but one of the M1865 Burnside-contract carbines so was at best not delivered to the government until late September 1865. Although the manufacturer's data was sanded off of the receiver, there is still a trace of the Model/1865 stamping atop the receiver to identify it as one of contract carbines as well as the lower block and trigger-plate are modified for the Stabler device. Don't know how long this other gent owned the piece but shortly after purchasing it from Track of the Wolf, it had appeared that the cartridge follower spring was either broke or missing. Upon removing the butt-stock to access the spring, I found that the spring was inserted "upside down" so it was not holding tension on the cartridge follower.

Essentially, it is a .56-50 carbine that retains only the rear 2-inch section of the original carbine barrel containing the chamber, to which a 20-gauge tapered smooth-bore barrel has been screwed on or perhaps welded (not unlike how Parker-Hale made their patent breech for the Enfield replicas), having only a round bead front sight (no rear sight). There is no gunsmith's info stamped anywhere to identify who may have done the shotgun conversion but as Roy Marcot writes in his book, a New York company, Bristol Manufacturing Company of 309 Broadway had advertised a similar conversion, the "Bristol Repeating Breech-loading Shotgun", but which was only sold in .56-50 centerfire for $30 each (in 1886). But in their advert they warned buyers against other similar guns made with welded barrels that were sold in rim-fire only. SN 26721 is still in .56-50 rimfire.

Like the other gent who started this post, the control/assembly number used by the converter evidently had produced at least 38 such conversions as that number is stamped throughout on many of the parts, some in roman numerals, but he must have been Dyslexic as he marked the outer magazine tube "IIIVXXX". The SN 26721 is stamped atop the receiver, under the barrel, as well as in the forearm channel, and the end of the butt-stock.

[Two Flints]

Snakeeater,

Do you own this carbine serial #26271?  If you do, please send me photos of it, especially the barrel and receiver areas, top bottom and sides, to fsgrand2@fairpoint.net . . . 800 x600 pixels, if you can.

Two Flints