Picked up a orignal Spencer anyone else shoot them up here?

[dingus]

I Bought and orignal spencer carbine in 56 56 RF but i might get a conversion block so i can shoot it.
anyone else into shooter there spwencers if yes what loads are you useing?
I will post pics once it gets here.
I got a civel war one with a Low Ser # and 22 inch barrel has 6 grove rifleing so thats gona need the 385 gr bullet thats .520 i guess eh?
This one has a good action looks to be a fine example.
I wanted one for years.

 

[mooncoon]

I shot my previous one, occasionally. Used a 22 blank for a primer and more or less just filled the case with black powder. Also made a mold for the bullet. I intend to shoot the one I am fixing up before returning it to the owner.
The weak point is that the extractor tends to sort of saw through the case rim and after a few shots I had to knock each shell out with a ramrod. Important for the leading edge of the extractor to be very smooth. It is quite narrow and moves vertically as well as fore and back, rubbing or sawing on the rim

cheers mooncoon

 

[powderman]

Dixie Gun Works used to sell centerfire breech blocks for Spencers. Don't know if they still do.

Regards,
Bradford

 

[mooncoon]

I just miked one of the slugs that I cast, came out at .548 which I assume must have been the groove diameter of the rifle. I suspect you would be wise to slug your bore and confirm its particular dimensions

cheers mooncoon

 

[dingus]

Yes i Will Mooncoon the 6 grove rifled barrels are supose to use .520 bullets but i will check.
Bufalo arms has Breach blocks but there $170 isnt there a way to jusrt replace the fireing pin?
Anyone got piucs of what the RF Fireing pin part looks like ?

I was thinking about makeing RF cases from 56 56 starline CF brass with off set 22 RF blanks and cutting a small half round slot in one side of the cases rim then soft soder a small half round metal rod the length of the spencer magazine tube as a guide for the Sloted 56 56 cases to go up and be in the right position for fireing ?

Anyone think about doing this or would the lever loader move the ammo around to much as it left the magazine tube ?

 

[mooncoon]

The upper portion of the breach of a Spencer does not look all that difficult to copy and I would think the route to go would be to make a replacement breach block (upper part only) with a firing pin like the one on the Peabody rifle pictured below.

cheers mooncoon

 

[dingus]

What make that Top Part from scratch ?
No way id try and make that why not just make the fireing pin part ?
I can buy a CF breach with the CF fireing pin from Bufalo Arms in the US for $170

I will know more once i see how there made. sure is neat tho.

 

[mooncoon]

The top of a spencer is very simple, the breach in the photos is from a Peabody and much more difficult to make. What I was trying to show was the firing pin modification without the need of the return spring in a Spencer. The Spencer breach is in two pieces with a top part that sits in a sort of cradle.
I have two Spencers in the basement right now. The one with the good bore slugs out at just under .540 with a bore diameter of roughly .520. The one with the very rusty bore slugged out at .520 but I think it is skipping the rifling and that I am getting a bore diameter. Bottom line is that I think your groove diameter is going to be close to .520

cheers mooncoon