A CAS competitive Spencer

[Tuolumne Lawman]

I can see it now.... A CAS competitive Spencer.  It is chambered in special .38 short mouse fart loads so that ten rounds will sit in the magazine.  A .45 Colt version with an extra long mag tube that protrudes from the stock and goes under the arm pit is available, also.  Then there is the hammer and action.  A special short stroke action with an external gizmo that cocks the hammer when the action is cycled.  Let's not forget the Wolf spring kit.

NOT!!!!!!!! Christopher Miner Spencer would roll over in his grave and haunt every match where one was used!  This must just have been a nightmare caused by too much onions and sauer kraut!

[El Supremo]

Yes, for sure, TL:

By the way, there were early Spencers with an eight round magazine tube capacity.  That would get us to nine and one in our teeth, I suppose.  The schematic of which was used in Spencer's catalogs depicting the 1960's and later models with only seven round tubes. 

And I have read historical posts about removing the magazine tube follower so another round can "fit".

Marcot's book covers this.

I am NOT familiar with NSSA rules for repeating rifles/carbines, but want to recall being told that there is some sort of "field leveling" reloading rule that makes Spencers more or less competitive with Henry's.  Maybe someone could enlighten us.

Regards,

El Supremo

[Tuolumne Lawman]

If I remember right, the original model was an eight rounder in a .44 rim-fire model.  I'l have to check the Marcot bible!

[Injun Ryder]

Just get in good with the match diirector! Mine throws in a few 8 rifle round stages for my Spencer. Last match had at least 4 stages and I had a blast (I shoot a 44 Russian which holds 9 but functions better with 8.)

[Two Flints]

Hey What's All This Jibberish,

The Spencer came along long before SASS and CAS and all this modern day cowboy stuff   The Spencer IS WHAT IT IS so let's just keep it that way

If you don't like the shooting capacity of the Spencer get one of them "purty yellow" carbines  

Leave my Spencers alone

Two Flints

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

YABUT!?!?   Oh, to heck wid'it.  Let someone else step in it!

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Two Flints, Pard, i told you it was all a nightmare I had because of indigestion!!!!!!

[Bead Swinger]

OK - We develop a special ball that splits into two 220-gr projectiles that hit two targets at once!
Then we only need 5 rounds... Or 6. 
After all, we'd still be sending more lead downrange than one of those "Shiny brass things". 

I'm sure if it worked, they'd find or make SASS rules to disqualify it; After all, we could always make 28Ga shot loads as well. Those were available and used in Spencers "Of the Day"

Hmmm... Maybe that's the place to use a Spencer - as the Shotgun! 

[Tuolumne Lawman]

I tried making shot cartridges for it about 3 years ago.  I used the shot charge from a 2 1/2" .410 and a .50 cal wonder wad. One used 56-50 starline with a plastic capsule made from a disposable hypodermic syringe body, and one was from a 50-70 cut and modified.  The pattern at 15 feet was HORRIBLE!  A rabbit could have walked through it!  Maybe some of this 56-50 blank brass that is made for Ten-X would work.

[BobM]

El Supremo the NSSA rules allow the Spencer magazine to be reloaded from a Blakeslee Box where a henry shooter can not reload the magazine and has to go single shot after the Mag is empty during a team match.

BobM

[Appalachian Ed]

Yes, for sure, TL:

By the way, there were early Spencers with an eight round magazine tube capacity.  That would get us to nine and one in our teeth, I suppose.  The schematic of which was used in Spencer's catalogs depicting the 1960's and later models with only seven round tubes. 

Marcot's book covers this.

I am NOT familiar with NSSA rules for repeating rifles/carbines, but want to recall being told that there is some sort of "field leveling" reloading rule that makes Spencers more or less competitive with Henry's.  Maybe someone could enlighten us.

Regards,

El Supremo

Spencer's and Henry's compete on equal footing in the NSSA. Spencer's can be reloaded by Blakesee tubes during competition, where as the Henry guys have to load single shot after their magazine is emptied.

The Single shot breechloaders teams only have to shoot half the targets when competing against Henry team. And yes, our single shot team shooting Ballard rifles regularly out shoot the Henry teams in regional competition.


-Ed

[El Supremo]

Thanks Ed and Bob:

El Supremo

[Trailrider]

I can see it now.... A CAS competitive Spencer.  It is chambered in special .38 short mouse fart loads so that ten rounds will sit in the magazine.  A .45 Colt version with an extra long mag tube that protrudes from the stock and goes under the arm pit is available, also.  Then there is the hammer and action.  A special short stroke action with an external gizmo that cocks the hammer when the action is cycled.  Let's not forget the Wolf spring kit.

NOT!!!!!!!! Christopher Miner Spencer would roll over in his grave and haunt every match where one was used!  This must just have been a nightmare caused by too much onions and sauer kraut!

Oh, I don't know, Pard! Chris Spencer was a pretty with-it guy.  Invented the automatic screw machine, and a bunch of other highspeed production machines.  Just before he passed over the Divide, he learned to fly an airplane, from his son!

Personally, I'd keep the Spencers just the way they are. Just MHO.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Considering I competed with a 56-50 Spencer loaded with BP, I believe it should be understood that my post was "tongue in cheek"!

[Roscoe Coles]

Well I know its all in good fun but I will say that if I actually cared about being competitive in SASS any more I would be shooting a rinky dink 38 1873 with all the modern go fast clap trap like all the other SASS folks.  The Spencer is pretty much the antithesis of that attitude and I love it for that reason if no other. 

[Tuolumne Lawman]

One of the last matches I shot at before my world came crashing down, was a BAD experience. It was at a club that was very much a "gamer mentality" type club: mostly short strokes and mouse fart loads, etc. I had traveled some distance to visit and shoot with them.  The Posse members were complaining that I was "too slow" with my 56-50 Spencer, and I was moved to last in the shooting order.  I did not return, and in fact, did not even shoot the two stages after lunch.

There was "No spirit of the game" to be found there.  Another club I tried after I moved was not as bad, but still mostly Gamer!

About 6 years ago, Tex took a lot of flak from folks about his editorial in the Chronical "Have we become what we hate?"  It was almost prophetic!

[Roscoe Coles]

I shot my first SASS match in 1986, joined in 1988 (#1188).  Tex was on my possie and held the timer on my first stage (I actually have a picture of it!).  A nicer guy you will never meet.  I shot competitively in SASS for a number of years (winning a ton of matches) and started the first two SASS affiliated clubs in Northern California.  But I always took a lively interest in historic costuming and I shot 45s with real loads in them.  I took some time off in 1995 to go back to school which stretched into graduate school and when I came back I found that SASS had indeed, to paraphrase Tex, become what we hate.  And what was worse it was full of folks who would tell you that was the way it always was.  In response I rarely shoot a SASS match any more, it just is not fun.  So, I took up the odd old guns and fool with them and I am looking forward to getting involved with NCOWS, though the club in California (he closest one) seems to be withering on the vine at the moment. 

Sorry for drifting off topic, but you can see why I don't have much interest in a CAS competitive Spencer.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

I started CAS in 1994, and started the Mother Lode Shootist Society in 1995/96.  Shot with the fine folks at Murrieta Posse, Kings River Regulators, and River City Regulators.  As of when I left over two years ago, they all still maintained a lot of the Spirit of the game and had a lot of fun at their matches. they turned out such phenoms as Bad Land's Bud (That boy is just plain old GOOD!).  As time went by, the folks of a new mind set (how's that for politically correct way of saying gamers) started to outnumber us. Despite that, shooting with those clubs spoiled me, as many of those remaining had started CAS before me.

While I have found some great clubs in the mid-west, run by great folks, MOST of the shooters now are wannabe speed demons and look down at me and my Spencer.  I had one, a grown man mind you, actually make fun of me (no, not kidding, but ridiculed) for coming in last with my 56-50 Spencer and side hammer shotgun.  Surely, he said, after shooting as long as I have, I should shoot faster! He wondered why they let someone like me write for the Cowboy Chronicle!  I gathered my composure and told him that arguing with ignorance was futile. He just gave a a funny look. I don't think he was bright enough to understand that I was calling him ignorant. 

That was another club I did not return to....

I mean, I know I am slow.  I myself kid about being timed with a sundial!  This guy was just a punk!

[Roscoe Coles]

I was one of the seven who started the River City Regulators along wit J.R. an Anita Hunt, Diamond Dick Price, The Anderson Brothers and Tres Estrellas (Darryl Nett)  The last match I won was the 1995 High Sierra Cap and ball class.  They are a good bunch up in Northern California.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Dick Price and Billy Hull (Wild Bill Briscoe) walked me through my first match late in 94 or early 95.  Oh, we can't forget Frolicking Fred and his monster "Gun Cart" covered wagon!