Spencer Arms model 1882 12 Gauge help needed.

[Big Chips]

I recently purchased a Spencer Arms model1882 12 Gauge. The previous owner said it had no serial number on it . or at least where the others have them listed on the internet....behind the trigger guard.

I purchased the shot gun  and upon first laying eyes on it i was amazed at how well the 140 year old gun had aged. Every thing checked out to my knowledge of the gun being an actual 1882 model and original parts being on the gun and the barrel looked really nice inside and had and still has residual of powder.

I too could not locate any number son the gun. however i did lay the gun in sunlight through a window  on a cushion and took high definition pics of every part. Last night I was reviewing the pics  while reading any and everything about the 1882 model on the internet and ran across a few auction sites that had sold some of these and their descriptions. This is where I read that the number were sometimes put in other places than always behind the trigger guard on the spencer shot guns. I found pics and low and behold i located where the serial number should be stamped on my gun.

SO i pulled out the high def pics of that area and BAM there it was... (pics below) visible but had been missed by MANY people looking at my gun over the last several weeks. I was on top of the moon! #609 had been found.

But questions still need answers to.

#1. The trigger guard IS different than all other 1882 or spencer's on the internet for that fact.

It is held on with a screw at front and rear and is beveled to clear re-cocking trigger.  I though someone must have made this and installed, but it has patina that matches rest of gun.  So knowing from research how the trigger guard is supposed to look and mount on other 1882. I though that someone may have lost the original and made one and drilled and tapped the from to mount where all original trigger guards appear to just sit down in a recess and mate with the trigger guard.

So I made the decision to remove the trigger guard and see what it looked like under neath....so I did. I found out it wasn't modified and was the mounting area is in fact not as other 1882 or 1896,1887,1890 ect Spencers. SEE PICS BELOW

#2. Is there  registry of these gun somewhere where the ones that still exist are recorded.

#3. Any help form anyone here is greatly appreciated on determining why this trigger guard is different.

#4. How would you rate the condition of this gun?

[Big Chips]

pics

[Big Chips]

more pics

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more pics

[Big Chips]

The serial number on the loader is visible but you have to look hard for it. Just scanning over the gun you will look right past it. The shells over the decades hitting that area take your eyes  for a loop.

But the high def picture brings it right out!

[Big Chips]

last pics

[Sedalia Dave]

WOW!

Great find. 

[Big Chips]

anyone else have suggestions. Could you point me to a group that maybe could?