Spencer Carbine & New Sights - **Paper Target Photos & Loading Info Added **

[.56/50 Iron]

My Spencer Carbine is now ready to shoot real groups that are meaningful. My machinist reworked the front sight base and now in the place of the crude front blade is a nice Lyman 17A globe with an adapted attachment area in place of the dovetail. Target sights can be removed and a regular front blade put into the slot cut in the front sight base. Thus the original military look and function is retained:




                                            (photos added by Two Flints)

The base of the Lyman Globe sight has been milled to fit the slot that
was cut in the front sight base. Opposing set screws and Loctite secure
it in place.

Here are some target photos you might be interested in seeing. They are the final results of my "development" of the Spencer carbine using the target sighting system that is installed and shown above in the first two photos.

This particular reload is the best I have found so far and is listed at the bottom of each target. The only other thing I am going to try will be to shoot soft lead slugs instead of wheel weight alloy this coming Saturday if the weather holds. I expect that the groups on target will be tighter with soft lead. I will also try to chronograph the final load. At this point, the target sights will be removed and a regular blade fitted to the front sight base instead of the globe sight. This blade will be cut so that the impact is to the point of aim at 75 yards using the lowest setting of the original military rear sight. The base for the vernier tang sight will remain on the wrist of the stock as I do not want to disturb the mount bushings. Appearance will be almost back to 100% military.





                                              (Photos Added by Two Flints)

.56/50 Iron

[Two Flints]

Hi 56-50 Iron,

Thanks so much for the additional information.  I'm sure there will be comments from SSS members on your efforts

Two Flints

[Grouchy Spike]

Now those are some very impressive groups!  I didn't know that the Spencer was capable of that. My groups at 25 yds with 350 gr 0.512" and 9.5 gr Trail Boss were 2 inches.  With OEM sights.  I haven't installed the improved rear sight.

[.56/50 Iron]

Thanks for the note! I was frustrated trying to shoot groups with the issue sights. I am sort of used to working with a back sight as the one that comes with the carbine, but that front "blade" is something to behold! Absolutely useless! I will be using the target sights for one more bench session with the same load using soft lead slugs. Then off the taget sights come and on goes a new front blade that will be inserted in the front sight base. I have widened the notch in the rear sight a bit already. Nothing special about the blade I will use. It will be flat and straight and the correct height to zero the carbine dead on at 75 yards using the lowest setting of the rear sight. I think that the Italians thought they were making a dueling pistol when they used the front sight that they did on the Spencer Carbine!
Thanks again!
.56/50 Iron