December purchases
- Thread starter Hitzy
- Start date
Yes, very nice looking Inglis, Canuck! Is that a replacement slide, or is it one of the Canadian or British postwar conversions to No. 2 specs?
I guess this qualifies as a December purchase, in that I have paid for it, but likely won't get it until January - a reproduction Model 1865 Spencer carbine in 56-50 (but set up for the "modern" centerfire version of the cartridge, rather than rimfire). "Canadian connection" - Canada purchased 1300 such carbines (and the British War Dept. supplied another 1000 carbines, plus 2000 Spencer infantry rifles) in 1866, during the "panic" associated with the Fenian threat ....
Here is a photo of one such carbine - (of course I won't be able to post pictures of my own until I get it ....
)
I guess this qualifies as a December purchase, in that I have paid for it, but likely won't get it until January - a reproduction Model 1865 Spencer carbine in 56-50 (but set up for the "modern" centerfire version of the cartridge, rather than rimfire). "Canadian connection" - Canada purchased 1300 such carbines (and the British War Dept. supplied another 1000 carbines, plus 2000 Spencer infantry rifles) in 1866, during the "panic" associated with the Fenian threat ....
Here is a photo of one such carbine - (of course I won't be able to post pictures of my own until I get it ....
)
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Well, the L. Romano Rifle Co. in N.Y. has been making semi-custom Model 1860 Spencer carbine and rifle reproductions for maybe ten years - but at about US$4600.00 and $5000.00, respectively, they cost more than many shootable, and quite decent, originals! Here's a link to the Spencer page on their website, for what it may be worth:Nyles said:
http://www.romanorifle.com/html/spencer.html
However, Armi Sport (Italy) has been making the much more affordable reproduction I'm getting, for maybe two years or so - Taylor's & Co. in Virginia is the North American importer/primary distributor for these. Going retail price has been around US$1200, depending on who you get it from. In fact the retail price directly from Taylor's is actually somewhat higher - US$1350 - but I gather that is so they don't step on the toes of the dealers they supply.) They recently had a "dealer special" wholesale price, and I was able to arrange to take advantage of that through the dealer I am getting mine from - my price for the rifle was US$817, before shipping. (It is costing me another US$300 approximately, for brass (Starline), bullet mould and loading dies (both Lyman) through the same dealer. Twice now, while at shoots in the States, I have had the opportunity to handle and fire one of these carbines, and decided I had to have one ....
I should mention that, as a replica of a pre-1899 non-automatic firearm, this rifle is defined under U.S. law as an "Antique" and is exempt from the requirement to get a firearms export permit from the U.S. Dept. of State under the regulations which have been causing us so much grief in the last few years getting guns, parts, etc. out of the U.S. (I am not aware of any place in Canada where you could get one.)
Here is a close up photo I was able to find on the internet showing the action area of an Armi Sport carbine:
And while I'm on a roll, here's a rather poor b&w photo of Canadian-issue Spencer rifle and carbine (scanned from "The Military Arms of Canada") -
Link to Taylor's & Co. Spencer carbine page - note that the images there show an incorrect barrel-band configuration (with a sling swivel like the on the rifle) but the carbines don't actually have that swivel on them, as you can see from the photo posted in my previous message:
http://www.taylorsfirearms.com/products/results.tpl?category=Cartridge%20Firearms&subcategory=Model%201865%20Spencer%20Carbine
Armi Sport is also now making a reproduction of the Spencer infantry rifle, which Taylor's is apparently also now bringing in, though it is not shown on their website yet. Here is a link to the Armi Sport website page on the Spencer rifle:
http://www.armisport.com/eng/dettaglioA.asp?idSottoFamiglia=44#
canuck said:
Wow! Very nice indeed, Canuck!
It's too late to check my copy of Clive Law's "Inglis Diamond" in detail, but I do recall that some such hybrids were produced fairly early (Sept/Oct 1944) when they shut down production on the "First Chinese Contract", and used up some frames which had already been milled for the shoulder stock to make up No. 2 pistols. But I gather that any such hybrids should be around the upper 3T serial number range - which is where they were on No. 2's when production of No. 1 pistols was suspended. Production of the No. 1 pistol resumed in June of 1945, and the first No. 2 serial number produced that month was 5T2058 - so it would appear to me that your pistol must have been produced right at that time - i.e. very early in June 1945 - though why they would have used a No.1-type frame for it is a mystery to me. Maybe just getting back into practice milling the frame slots prior to resuming full production of the Chinese contract pistols?
Clive Law might be very interested in hearing about your pistol. Seems like a bit of an anomaly - and possibly quite a rarity.
Hi green, I believe this particular pistol is original - the milling marks on the stock cutout are the same as an original chinese contract Inglis that I own. But you've given me an idea - I think I'll try to get a mainspring housing cut so I can try my stocks on my 1911's!!
Grant, do you have a mailing address or e-mail for Mr. Law?
I'm a big fan of his books and have been meaning to contact him anyway regarding another Inglis HP i've got:
This a #2 pistol with a serial #, which in Clives book, was listed as being sent to the NZ armed forces. I can't recall but there were'nt very many pistols sent over there, and its hard to believe that this one made it back in such ex. condition.
Cheers... Darron
GrantR said:
Grant, do you have a mailing address or e-mail for Mr. Law?
I'm a big fan of his books and have been meaning to contact him anyway regarding another Inglis HP i've got:
This a #2 pistol with a serial #, which in Clives book, was listed as being sent to the NZ armed forces. I can't recall but there were'nt very many pistols sent over there, and its hard to believe that this one made it back in such ex. condition.
Cheers... Darron
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