Somebody talk some sense into me!

[Good Troy]

the trick is to buy "pretty" rifles

Yep....Miss Sippi, aka Ms. Red, aka my wife, does seem to like the "shiney" guns.  Her favorites are my Ruger NMV and Rossi 92 in SS.
Hmmm.....a Henry....though not a battle rifle, it is still period correct and would go well with the persona I'm considering and my Remmie C&B's.   BUT, I think that I better save some more cash before I go to the gunshow or store again!

[Drydock]

A Taylors Spencer is Purty, and it is a Battle Rifle.

[Good Troy]

A Taylors Spencer is Purty, and it is a Battle Rifle.

Get behind me Satan!!

I know...I've been considering it as well. The 44-40 would work for me as I have reloading supplies already.
Plus, I could use it in SASS.  I'd just be slow on the rifle targets...wait, I'm already slow....

Did the Spencer see any service in the 1870's military? 

[Drydock]

Yes!  It was the standard issue Cavalry carbine until the Mid 1870s.  After it was replaced in service by the .45-55 M1873, it would be issued to Scouts, teamsters and other civilian employees for another decade or so.

[Good Troy]

Yes!  It was the standard issue Cavalry carbine until the Mid 1870s.

Good to know!  Now all I need is about $1500!

[Good Troy]

I've located a couple of Spencer's for sale at "reasonable" prices.  I'm not sure about the calibers for use with BP.
Anyone have experience with 44 Russian in this rifle and/or 45 Colt?

[Major 2]

I see you asked this in the Spencer BB as well ....

I'll respond here as they will cover you just fine over there....

IIRC , the 44 Russian was the first offering,  of the various Calibers later added....

The first 44R had some extraction issues as I recall  ,  Then the 45 Schofield ( I had one of these )  seemed to function well , though
I never shot it in any match , just off hand .

The 56/50 was next , and the 45 ( a friend has one of these and it runs quite well out of the box ) He has used it in NCOWS
and aside from the # of shots & reload on the clock disadvantage, it shoots just fine.
Seems to get through the 6 stages and  he hits what he shot at.

The 44/40 was next, and I think   discontinued (no longer listed) now as is the 44 Russian & 45 Schofield ....

So... first hand, having experience only with my 45 Schofield & my friend's 45 Colt,  I'd opt to the 45 Colt ,  if I were to stay within your Cal. inquiry  44 Russian VS 45 Colt  parameters.

If I were in the market again , I think the 56/50 would be my Huckleberry , Good Lube & Moose Milk cloth and it will run.

Clearly the SSS fellows will be your best sources.

[pony express]

Drydock used to have a couple of them, but I think he's just got the .56-50 now. Not real fast against the SASS guys, but lots of style points!

[Major 2]

Yep....Miss Sippi, aka Ms. Red, aka my wife, does seem to like the "shiney" guns.  Her favorites are my Ruger NMV and Rossi 92 in SS.
Hmmm.....a Henry....though not a battle rifle, it is still period correct and would go well with the persona I'm considering and my Remmie C&B's.   BUT, I think that I better save some more cash before I go to the gunshow or store again!

back the wagon up some  

"Hmmm.....a Henry....though not a battle rifle"    *

They saw service in the War Between the States ... perfectly acceptably in GAF is my understanding

You said " Scout , Civilian teamster   .... Henry  [ check ]
You said  " Wife like's pretty ones "   ....   Henry  [ check ]
Can be had in your 44/40 w/BP.     ....    Henry  [ check ]


* Quite a few company-size Union organizations, especially those from Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, carried Henry rifles, purchased at their own expense.
1,731 Henry rifles were purchased by the Ordnance Department between 1862 and 1865. Two organizations, the 1st Maine and 1st District of Columbia cavalry regiments, were known to have been issued Henry rifles.

Note:

It's what I'll bring to Muster  

[LT Col Long]

back the wagon up some 

"Hmmm.....a Henry....though not a battle rifle"     *

They saw service in the War Between the States ... perfectly acceptably in GAF is my understanding

You said " Scout , Civilian teamster   .... Henry  [ check ]
You said  " Wife like's pretty ones "   ....   Henry  [ check ]
Can be had in your 44/40 w/BP.     ....    Henry  [ check ]


* Quite a few company-size Union organizations, especially those from Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, carried Henry rifles, purchased at their own expense.
1,731 Henry rifles were purchased by the Ordnance Department between 1862 and 1865. Two organizations, the 1st Maine and 1st District of Columbia cavalry regiments, were known to have been issued Henry rifles.

Note:

It's what I'll bring to Muster 

Well put, Major 2!!!

In Service
LtCol Long

[Good Troy]

Dag nab it....y'all ain't makin' this any easier a decidin' for me!
Now, I'm back to the multiple purchases!

Thanks fellows, I've got some good input.  Now, I just need to make up my mind.

[Cowtown Scout]

Dag nab it....y'all ain't makin' this any easier a decidin' for me!
Now, I'm back to the multiple purchases!

Thanks fellows, I've got some good input.  Now, I just need to make up my mind.

Just buy one of each.  Your only decision is which one to buy first.

[Major 2]

Dag nab it....y'all ain't makin' this any easier a decidin' for me!
Now, I'm back to the multiple purchases!

Thanks fellows, I've got some good input.  Now, I just need to make up my mind.

This is about as cheap as you'll find these days,, I have no dog in the fight , But I do know Shoot Straight Reputation..and they are good folks ...

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=498690897

[Pitspitr]

back the wagon up some  

"Hmmm.....a Henry....though not a battle rifle"    *

They saw service in the War Between the States ... perfectly acceptably in GAF is my understanding

* Quite a few company-size Union organizations, especially those from Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri, carried Henry rifles, purchased at their own expense.
1,731 Henry rifles were purchased by the Ordnance Department between 1862 and 1865. Two organizations, the 1st Maine and 1st District of Columbia cavalry regiments, were known to have been issued Henry rifles.

We know the Henry saw service, that was never an issue. The Henry as well as the Model 1866 Winchester and some other pistol caliber guns have other venues and for our game they are not classified as a "battle rifle" That does not mean that they can't be used in our game. They just are used within the scout class.

[Drydock]

Per our rules however, it is a Scout class weapon.  It is a classification by weapon type, not usage.  Much as the 1866s at Plevna, while the Henry saw some combat, it was never adopted* as Milspec, either primary or secondary issue, thus is a Scout class rifle in our classification system.  I have a Henry myself.  It is my Primary SASS rifle.

I also have a Spencer.  The 2nd of two I've owned.  The first was a .45 S&W, eventually sold to pay for my Current 56/50.  Both worked/work great with BP.  The Spencer design is far more BP tolerant that the Toggle link Winchester, and far easier to clean.  Remove one screw and drop the whole block system out the bottom.

For sheer grins, its hard to beat a Magazine full of BP 56/50s.  I like to shoot it at the Owl Creek SASS club, where they enjoy watching me knock their ringers down.  (Thus I'm always last in the Posse)  BTW, the 56/50 is a SASS legal match caliber.

Remember as well, our era is 1865-1900.  The Henry saw no Military usage after the War, though it did see extensive use in the hands of Scouts, best seen in Red Clouds war.  Most particularly the Fetterman and Hayfield fights.

*Issued to the 1st DC under "Open Purchase".

[Major 2]

We know the Henry saw service, that was never an issue. The Henry as well as the Model 1866 Winchester and some other pistol caliber guns have other venues and for our game they are not classified as a "battle rifle" That does not mean that they can't be used in our game. They just are used within the scout class.

Understood  Gentlemen ....

He had mentioned "Scout & Civilian teamster"  , I offered the Henry 

[OklaTom]

Rolling back to the subject of the Spencer. I had one of the carbine 44 Russian. It ran just fine, though the magazine was plugged to limit it to 7 rounds. There is a reason for that it turns out. Removing the plug to make it a 9-shot upsets the delicate balance in spring tensions between the magazine and the feed fingers on the block. It quit feeding. Put the plug back in, no problem. Later, I acquired the 3-band rifle version in 56-50 Spencer CF. I then sold the 44 Russian carbine to my buddy Johnson Barr. He repeated the same magazine experiment, I believe. Hopefully he will weigh in on how well it works and shoots still.

[Jake C]

Good to know!  Now all I need is about $1500!

Man, I know that feeling.   

[Pitspitr]

Understood  Gentlemen ....

He had mentioned "Scout & Civilian teamster"  , I offered the Henry 

I knew you knew and your suggestion was I good one; however, I also knew there were newer members reading the thread who might not understand. We've had new members arrive at a muster with their Henry only to be really disappointed that they couldn't compete for the Brigade Championship. I don't like people to get those kind of surprises. Sometimes they don't come back because of them.

[Good Troy]

This is about as cheap as you'll find these days

Major 2...thanks, I happened to have this one saved on my short list!