This Civil War specimen is a very good, veteran example of the 1^st Model Spencer seven-shot carbine and was once part of the famous Lee’s Headquarters Museum collection in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. A .52 caliber, repeating carbine, the Spencer arm was invented and patented by Manchester, Connecticut native Christopher M. Spencer. The U.S. government contracted for a total of over 95,000 Spencer carbines during the war with 65,000 made at Spencer’s Boston, MA factory and 30,000 of the weapons made at the Burnside Rifle Company in Rhode Island.

This carbine bears low serial # 26167, weighs 8 lbs. 4 oz., and has an overall length of 39.” The first Spencer contract for carbine to the government was July 13, 1863 with the first delivery made to the Ordnance Dept on October 3, 1863. All gunmetal wears a smooth, dark gray patina overall. Carbine has a 22” long round barrel fitted to a two-piece, oiled walnut stock / forend that is in very good condition with just normal dings and dents overall from service. Left side of shoulder stock bears fine ‘saddle wear’ from the trooper’s carbine swivel clip. Barrel has just very light pitting overall; also has its original folding rear sight and small brass blade front sight. Both the shoulder stock and the forend have darkened to a mellow color but wood has not been cleaned or refinished. Two clear government cartouches are visible on left side after sling bar tang. Bore has good rifling with very light pitting but should clean to semi-bright.

Retains original, steel, tubular loading magazine located in the buttstock is in fair condition with minor dents. Spring is strong, undented, and fits tightly in the shoulder stock. Metallic tube was used to store seven 56-56 caliber Spencer copper / brass rimfire metallic cartridges that fed the receiver with an extra cartridge in the chamber. Top flat on the receiver, forward of the hammer, is stamped with “SPENCER REPEATING / RIFLE CO. BOSTON MASS / PAT’S MARCH 6, 1860” in three lines that worn but stampings are readable.  Carbine shows a clearly stamped serial # 26167 on the top of frame behind the hammer. The heavy Spencer carbine sling bar and sling ring are tightly attached to the stock’s left side. Lock screws are in good condition, not buggered up. Remaining metal surfaces of the carbine are pleasing dark gray and exhibit small light scratches scattered about. Iron butt plate wears a dark gray. Carbine exhibits strong mechanics and retains its single sling swivel under the stock near the toe. Also included with this Spencer carbine are two plastic labels that were displayed with this shortarm while it was part of the Lee’s Museum collection.

Cavalry regiments who were issued the M1860 Spencer carbine were: 1^st Connecticut Cavalry, 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th Michigan Cavalry, 4^th US Cavalry, 5^th New York Cavalry, 1^st New York Veteran cavalry, 2^nd Wisconsin cavalry, 8^th Indiana Cavalry, and the 1^st New Jersey Cavalry. A very good Civil War Model 1860 Spencer that was once part of the well-known Lee’s Headquarters Museum in Gettysburg, PA.

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