Reproduction Spencer rifle or carbine

[GrantR]

Does anyone know of any dealers in Canada (other than listed below) who stock (or could bring in) one of the reproduction Spencers (rifle or carbine) .... preferably chambered in 56/50?
(I have already sent inquiries to Marstar, European Arms Distributors, Doc Rowland and Country Classic ....)

Or, for that matter, do you know of someone who might have one for sale, used?

I have long had a hankering to get one of these .... not exactly sure why, but I guess it mostly has to do with Canada's ownership and use of over 4,000 of the rimfire originals back during the Fenian Raids period - 1866-72 - and the fact that I have had the chance to fire a couple of different repro Spencers at events in the States.

I actually had a carbine bought and paid for from a dealer in the US a few years ago - along with brass, loading dies and a bullet mould - but he ended up having to send my money back, because for some reason he couldn't get the necessary export permit from the U.S. Department of State! (There is a special restriction, administered by State, rather than the BATF, on exporting firearms of .50 caliber and larger - it is aimed at the stuff which fires .50BMG and such, so why they wouldn't authorize export of a reproduction of an 1865-vintage firearm is beyond me!)

I've never quite lost the urge to have one, though - matter of fact, I still have a file of the photos I saved at the time ....
This is one of them -

 

[southwest maddog]

Epps has one in .45 LC, 30" barrel, $1900.

 

[GrantR]

Epps has one in .45 LC, 30" barrel, $1900.

Mmmm .... Thanks, SM! Hadn't checked their site, but I see they carry quite a few items from Taylors & Co.

Might have to rethink my preference for the "original" chambering of 56-50 (albeit the reproductions are actually centerfire) - I already load a lot of .45 Colt, that being my Cowboy Action cartridge ....

One reason I had a preference for a 56-50 chambering (Spencer was unusual in putting the powder charge first and the caliber second) is that, when I got all my money back from my unsuccessful attempt to buy a Spencer repro, I consoled myself by acquiring an original .50-60 Peabody rifle, bearing a Canada Militia mark. At the same time as the Spencers were acquired, Canada also got 3,000 Peabody rifles. They were rimfire, also, but I have a second centerfire block so i can shoot it, and thus am already set up with dies. Mind you, I'd likely have to get more brass, because although almost identical in most respects, the Spencer cartridge was somewhat shorter than the Peabody round. (Matter of fact, to save on expense and avoid logistical problems back in the 1860's, Canada issued only the Spencer version of the cartridge for use in both Spencer and Peabody arms. It was a bit short for the Peabody chamber, with some loss of accuracy I gather, but it worked ....)

The rifle version of the Spencer (which is the type Epps has) has considerable appeal, because I already do a Queen's Own Rifles re-enactment impression (albeit of the 1885 North West Rebellion time-frame) and the QOR were one of the units armed with Spencer rifles (as opposed to carbines, which were also acquired).

This is a scan of the cover of the November 1986 issue of the Canadian Journal of Arms Collecting, which contains an article on these firearms by Rene Chartrand. The rifle on the left is a Peabody .... the other rifle and carbine are, of course, Spencers. The old studio portrait is of a member of the Queen's Own Rifles with Spencer rifle -

 

[JP]

Saw a repro Spencer carbine at the Orangeville Show in Ontario a few weeks ago, but did not look at it closely enough to see the caliber. Maybe someone who does the Toronto Gunshow circuit might have more info and stay on the look-out for it.

 

[GrantR]

Thanks, Jean. By the way, the Snider carbine is great!

 

[cigar_man]

Epps has one in .45 LC, 30" barrel, $1900

Yikes!

You can buy a pretty nice original for those dollars.

I have seen originals from $995 on up and they all would have made great shooters.

Centerfire conversion block from Buffalo Arms drops right in place.

Cut down your brass from .32 gauge shotgun brass.

Check out http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?board=35.0

Reproductions can be problematic at best.

 

[GrantR]

Yikes!

You can buy a pretty nice original for those dollars.

I have seen originals from $995 on up and they all would have made great shooters.

Garth:
I'd be willing to bet a bottle cap against your Spencer carbine ( ) that it wasn't a shootable Model 1865 Spencer rifle you've seen for less than $1000!

Only about 3,000 Model 1865 Spencer rifles were produced (2,000 of which ended up in Canada - i.e. like the one held by the QOR rifleman above) versus about 23,000 carbines of that model ....

 

[mooncoon]

Not necessarily; this one only cost $20 in a garage sale and it turned out to be shootable but only minute of mastodon accuracy :>)

although it did have some cosmetic shortcomings when first purchased

cheers mooncoon

 

[cigar_man]

Spencer Rifle

You won't believe it, but there was one for sale at the last Ancaster Gun show (Jerseyville) Feb 12th, here in Ontario.

It was around $1600, a tad bit more than $995, but it needed a bit of work.

Shootable? Yes
Action was very tight. ,
It looked like the action parts where replaced.

I was tempted since it was the rifle and not the carbine.

Oddly enough, there where not many lookers.

If it is still there next show, I will have a closer look.

Oh and yes Sir, I was looking for any stamping, WD.

I have seen Spencer Carbines staring for around $995.

These old war horses are poping up every where.

I know a fellow here in Mississauga, Ontario that has a just like new Taylor's Spencer Carbine in 56-50
with Starline brass and home made Blakeslee Cartridge box for $1500.

I will pm you his name and #

I will be on vacation in Honolulu starting Feb 25th, but feel free to e-mail or pm if needed.
It may take a bit for me to get back to you.

 

[36 hamon]

that was an awesome rifle that fella had at the club Garth