Having Some Fun With 1860 Spencer Carbine

[Rube Burrows]

Had some fun this weekend shooting a 1860 Spencer Carbine from Taylor's and Company.

Here is a video that I hope you'll check out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LltvTej7ib0

Again, I can never figure out how to make the video show in the thread. Just the link.

[gamekeeper]

Cool carbine, I have always been interested in the Spencer, quite a game changer in it's day, shame the Confederacy weren't issued with it...

[2ndovc]

Pretty slick, Looks like it started to smooth out after a while.

I keep looking at the Spencers, Great great grandpa Ezra most likely carried one during his time in the Second Ohio Vol. Cavalry. He was in Company H and I've seen pictures of other 2nd OVC. soldiers with Spencer carbines, but saw another picture of a different Ohio Cav. unit with Sharps carbines.

Thanks for the video! I think I'll go look at the Spencers again.

jb

[Bill in Oregon]

They are fun, aren't they? I had one in .56-50. I have probably posted this image before. I had had one when they first came out and traded it. Then, working as a volunteer at Oliver Lee State Park in New Mexico, I kept staring at the original in the visitor's center -- as used in various skirmishes between the Army and the Mescaleros in Dog Canyon in the Sacramentos-- and bought one again. I probably had more fun letting other fellas shoot and experience the Spencer than shooting it myself. I have Internet pals who hunt their whitetails with these swell carbines.

[Rube Burrows]

Cool carbine, I have always been interested in the Spencer, quite a game changer in it's day, shame the Confederacy weren't issued with it...

Yeah, the Spencer was definitely a head of its time.

[Rube Burrows]

Pretty slick, Looks like it started to smooth out after a while.

I keep looking at the Spencers, Great great grandpa Ezra most likely carried one during his time in the Second Ohio Vol. Cavalry. He was in Company H and I've seen pictures of other 2nd OVC. soldiers with Spencer carbines, but saw another picture of a different Ohio Cav. unit with Sharps carbines.

Thanks for the video! I think I'll go look at the Spencers again.

jb

I started to see that it kind of just needs to be worked with authority. The first and last rounds were boogers at times. Sometimes they went in smooth as butter and sometimes they would catch.

Would be neat to have a photo of your ancestor in uniform holding one. Or anything for that matter. I don't have any war time photos of my 2x great grandfather. I do have a tintype that was likely taken between 1865 and 1871 after he got home from the war and before he died in 1871.

[Rube Burrows]

They are fun, aren't they? I had one in .56-50. I have probably posted this image before. I had had one when they first came out and traded it. Then, working as a volunteer at Oliver Lee State Park in New Mexico, I kept staring at the original in the visitor's center -- as used in various skirmishes between the Army and the Mescaleros in Dog Canyon in the Sacramentos-- and bought one again. I probably had more fun letting other fellas shoot and experience the Spencer than shooting it myself. I have Internet pals who hunt their whitetails with these swell carbines.

Having one in an original caliber would be nice. I opted for .45 Colt for this one because I already load for it. They are fun to shoot and a very interesting firearm.

[barbarossa]

My local gun store has a Spencer rifle repro in 45 colt on sale .I m tempted to buy it every time I look at it.I wish they would come out with a sporting rifle version with a 25 inch octagonal barrel

[Griff]

There's a couple of guys that post on the SASS Wire that use them occasionally in cowboy action matches... but with capacity of just seven rounds they certainly aren't competitive.

But, there was a reason President Lincoln preferred the Spencer to the Henry. At least that's my take-away from a history course from 50+ years ago!

[2ndovc]

Unfortunately we don't have any pictures of Ezra, but we have a copy of the roster for Company H. On the other side of the family we have a group photo of g,g, grandpa Jehu sitting around the campfire with several others. Jehu was in the 3rd. Indiana Cav. The 3rd Indiana saw action at Gettysburg, among others.
I've been trying to get a copy of that picture for years.

jb

[Ysabel Kid]

I got mine in .44 Russian. Same reason - I already load that caliber. It is a hoot!

And GK, it is a shame that these didn't end up in the hands of the south... other than battlefield captures, which we were famous for!

[Bill in Oregon]

Jay, I had forgotten they made them in the Russian. I am loving it in my Model P. Wow, you even have a Blakeslee Box.

[Rube Burrows]

I got mine in .44 Russian. Same reason - I already load that caliber. It is a hoot!

And GK, it is a shame that these didn't end up in the hands of the south... other than battlefield captures, which we were famous for!

Where did you find the Blakeslee box?

[Ysabel Kid]

I got mine in .44 Russian. Same reason - I already load that caliber. It is a hoot!

And GK, it is a shame that these didn't end up in the hands of the south... other than battlefield captures, which we were famous for!

Where did you find the Blakeslee box?

I actually made a few years ago, but that one I purchased from C&C Sutlery: https://www.ccsutlery.com/store/ccsutlery.html

[Rube Burrows]

I got mine in .44 Russian. Same reason - I already load that caliber. It is a hoot!

And GK, it is a shame that these didn't end up in the hands of the south... other than battlefield captures, which we were famous for!

Where did you find the Blakeslee box?

I actually made a few years ago, but that one I purchased from C&C Sutlery: https://www.ccsutlery.com/store/ccsutlery.html

Thanks.