Original Item: Only One Available. This is a genuine U.S. Civil War Model 1860 Spencer repeating saddle ring carbine, serial number 40087, dating to approximately late 1864. It retains the classic 22" barrel, six groove rifling, saddle ring and bar, original seven shot butt magazine, non-ribbed magazine tube, and wartime Model 1860 configuration without the later Stabler cutoff. The carbine shows the honest exterior wear and stock weathering expected from military service, while the bore remains quite respectable and the action cycles smoothly during manual inspection.

This is an antique black powder firearm manufactured before 1899. Under federal law, it may generally be owned within the United States without a special license or permit and does not require transfer through a Federal Firearms Licensee. However, state and local laws may vary. This firearm is sold solely as a historical collector’s item and has not been test fired or inspected for firing safety by a professional gunsmith. Any mechanical or bore observations provided below describe only its present condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the firearm is safe to load or fire. The purchaser is solely responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The Spencer was one of the most important repeating arms of the Civil War. Christopher Spencer's design used a seven round tubular magazine housed in the butt stock and a lever operated action that ejected the fired case and chambered the next cartridge. The hammer then had to be manually cocked before firing. Once Spencer carbines entered production in late 1863, they were rapidly adopted by Union cavalry and became one of the most highly regarded repeating carbines of the war.

This example is serial numbered:

40087

The number is present on the receiver tang and also on the underside of the barrel. Based on the known wartime production sequence and delivery records, serial 40087 is consistent with approximately late 1864 manufacture or delivery. We also checked available Springfield Research Service information and did not locate this exact serial number or a documented nearby issue block, so no specific regiment or soldier attribution can presently be made.

The top of the receiver retains partially legible Spencer factory and patent markings:

SPENCER REPEATING-
RIFLE CO. BOSTON MASS.
PAT'D MARCH 6 1860

The upper and lower lines have been softened by long use, oxidation, and past cleaning, but the marking remains identifiable.

The carbine retains its original seven shot tubular magazine in the butt stock. The magazine tube is present with its spring and follower intact and appears mechanically functional during inspection.

This is still in the wartime Model 1860 configuration rather than one of the many carbines later updated at Springfield Arsenal with Model 1865 features. There is no Stabler cutoff installed, and the rear of the breech block does not show the groove associated with that system. The carbine also retains the correct 22" barrel, six groove rifling, and smooth or non-ribbed magazine tube associated with the Model 1860.

The left side retains the original saddle ring bar and ring. The stock immediately around this area shows heavy service wear, including the characteristic groove and abrasion caused by movement of the ring and contact with cavalry equipment over time.

The rear sight remains present and functional. The slider is somewhat loose, and the ladder shows some bending, both of which are fully disclosed.

The metalwork overall is in very good service used condition and has developed an attractive mottled gray, plum, and brown patina. There is scattered light peppering but no major active rust or extensive heavy pitting. The exterior appears to have been reblued at some point in the past, and that later finish has itself worn considerably through age and handling.

The action cycles smoothly during manual inspection and gives a crisp dry fire. We did not note any obvious operating problem with the lever or hammer. We have not tested the carbine with cartridges or dummy ammunition and therefore cannot confirm magazine feeding under ammunition.

The bore is in good condition, retaining clearly visible rifling despite considerable wear. It has the correct six groove pattern for a Spencer produced Model 1860 carbine, although the grooves are worn enough in places that the bore can visually resemble a finer multi-groove pattern. There is evidence of past fouling and oxidation that has since been cleaned away.

The walnut stocks remain in very good service used condition and display the attractive red brown color of aged oiled walnut. The fore stock shows normal handling wear and some rust staining near the barrel band and receiver. There is a repaired crack on the left side of the fore stock adjacent to the receiver.

The butt stock also shows staining around the metal fittings, together with gouges and additional wear near the saddle ring and bar. A crack runs rearward from the end of the saddle ring fitting on the left side. We do not see cracking around the butt plate, an area where damage is often encountered because of the large cavity required for the magazine tube.

With its wartime serial number 40087, original seven shot butt magazine, correct 22" six groove barrel, intact saddle ring and bar, non-ribbed magazine tube, absence of the later Stabler cutoff, and honest cavalry service wear, this is a compelling Civil War Spencer carbine in its original Model 1860 configuration. It would be an excellent addition to a Civil War cavalry collection, a Spencer repeating arms display, or a collection focused on the rapid development of repeating firearms during the final years of the war.

Specifications-

Years of Manufacture: early 1864
Maker: Spencer Repeating Arms Co.
Model: 1860 Saddle Ring Carbine
Serial No.: 40087
Caliber: .56-56 Spencer rimfire / .52 cal - 6 Groove Rifling
Ammunition Type: Rimfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 22 inches
Overall Length: 39 inches
Action: Lever Action with Manual Hammer
Feed System: 7 Round Tube Magazine
Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique

History and overview of the Spencer repeating rifle and carbine-

The Spencer repeating rifle was a manually operated lever-action, repeating rifle fed from a tube magazine with cartridges. It was adopted by the Union Army, especially by the cavalry, during the American Civil War, but did not replace the standard issue muzzle-loading rifled muskets in use at the time. The Spencer carbine was a shorter and lighter version.

The design was completed by Christopher Spencer in 1860, and was for a magazine-fed, lever-operated rifle chambered for the 56-56 Spencer rimfire cartridge. Unlike later cartridge designations, the first number referred to the diameter of the case ahead of the rim, while the second number referred to the diameter at the mouth; the actual bullet diameter was .52 inches. Cartridges were loaded with 45 grains (2.9 g) of black powder.

To use the Spencer, a lever had to be worked to extract the used shell and feed a new cartridge from the tube. Like the Springfield Model 1873 Trapdoor Rifle, the hammer had to be manually cocked in a separate action. The weapon used rimfire cartridges stored in a seven-round tube magazine, enabling the rounds to be fired one after another. When empty, the tube could be rapidly loaded either by dropping in fresh cartridges or from a device called the Blakeslee Cartridge Box, which contained up to thirteen (also six and ten) tubes with seven cartridges each, which could be emptied into the magazine tube in the buttstock.

There were also 56–52, 56–50, and even a few 56–46 versions of the cartridge created, which were necked down versions of the original 56–56. Cartridge length was limited by the action size to about 1.75 inches, and the later calibers used a smaller diameter, lighter bullet and larger powder charge to increase the power and range over the original 56–56 cartridge, which, while about as powerful as the .58 caliber rifled musket of the time, was underpowered by the standards of other early cartridges such as the .50–70 and .45-70.

At first, conservatism from the Department of War delayed its introduction to service. However, Christopher Spencer was eventually able to gain an audience with President Abraham Lincoln, who subsequently invited him to a shooting match and demonstration of the weapon. Lincoln was impressed with the weapon, and ordered that it be adopted for production.

The Spencer repeating rifle was first adopted by the United States Navy, and subsequently adopted by the United States Army and used during the American Civil War where it was popular. The South occasionally captured some of these weapons and ammunition, but, as they were unable to manufacture the cartridges because of shortages of copper, their ability to take advantage of the weapons was limited. Notable early instances of use included the Battle of Hoover's Gap (where Col. John T. Wilder's "Lightning Brigade" effectively demonstrated the firepower of repeaters), and the Gettysburg Campaign, where two regiments of the Michigan Brigade (under Brig. Gen. George Armstrong Custer) carried them at the Battle of Hanover and at East Cavalry Field. As the war progressed, Spencers were carried by a number of Union cavalry and mounted infantry regiments and provided the Union army with additional firepower versus their Confederate counterparts. President Lincoln's assassin, John Wilkes Booth was armed with a Spencer carbine at the time he was captured and killed.

The Spencer showed itself to be very reliable under combat conditions, with a sustainable rate-of-fire in excess of 20 rounds per minute. Compared to standard muzzle-loaders, with a rate of fire of 2-3 rounds per minute, this represented a significant tactical advantage. However, effective tactics had yet to be developed to take advantage of the higher rate of fire. Similarly, the supply chain was not equipped to carry the extra ammunition. Detractors would also complain that the smoke and haze produced was such that it was hard to see the enemy.

In the late 1860s, the Spencer company was sold to the Fogerty Rifle Company and ultimately to Winchester. With almost 200,000 rifles and carbines made, it marked the first adoption of a removable magazine-fed infantry rifle by any country. Many Spencer carbines were later sold as surplus to France where they were used during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870.

Despite the fact that the Spencer company went out of business in 1869, ammunition was sold in the United States up to about the 1920s. Later, many rifles and carbines were converted to centerfire, which could fire cartridges made from the centerfire .50–70 brass.

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.