Designed for cavalry use but not issued to Federal horse soldiers until October 1863, the Spencer .52 caliber, 7-shot metallic cartridge repeating carbine was invented and patented by Manchester, Connecticut native Christopher M. Spencer. This weapon system proved to be the most successful and sought-after firearm of the Civil War.  Presented here is a very good original specimen of that engineering design known as the Civil War Model or Model 1860 Spencer carbine.  The US government contracted for 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 weapon bears low serial # 11644 and has an overall length of 39” and weighs 8 lbs., 4 oz.  Lockplate was casehardened but now exhibits a smooth, pleasing, chocolate-plum colored patina overall.  In excellent, strong condition, this carbine has a 22” long barrel fitted to its two piece walnut buttstock / fore-end.  Barrel has its original brass blade front sight, and a folding rear sight with its sliding “V” notch elevation bar is stamped in increments to 900 yards. The bore with three land and groove rifling shows light pitting but will clean up to bright condition.  Original fore-end is tight and strong.   No cartouches are visible.

Unique to this type weapon is its tubular magazine located in the buttstock for storing and feeding the .56-.52 cal rimfire metallic cartridges to the receiver.  Magazine held seven copper / brass rimfire cartridges and as the operating lever was worked, the magazine would feed the cartridge forward into the breech.  Top flat of the receiver, forward of the hammer, is strongly stamped with “SPENCER REPEATING / RIFLE CO. BOSTON MASS / PAT’S MARCH 6, 1860” in three lines.  Serial # is located at the rear of the breech near the hammer.

Carbine sling bar and sling ring are tightly attached to the left side of stock.  Screws are in good condition, not buggered up. Other metal surfaces of the carbine appear dusky gray and exhibit just scattered pinprick rusting.  Iron butt plate and magazine are strong with a mottled dark gray coloring. Carbine exhibits crisp, strong mechanics. It is missing its iron swivel ring under the stock.  An original Civil War Model 1860 Sharps carbine in good overall condition.

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