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Item No.:	10569	Price :	$1,595.00
Item :	ORIGINAL, CIVIL WAR MODEL 1860 SPENCER CAVALRY CARBINE

Description :

This is an original, Civil War, M1860 Spencer Repeating Cavalry Carbine. The Spencer was a breech loading, lever action, repeating rifle fed from a tubular magazine in the butt. It was .52 caliber, firing the .56-.56 Spencer rimfire cartridge. The cartridge designation referred to the case diameter at the throat and base, being a straight walled case. The Spencer was adopted after a private demonstration given to President Lincoln, who heartily endorsed the new design. The Spencer Carbine would go on to become the main cavalry arm of the United States, serving well into the Indian War period, but it was in its longer rifle configuration that it received its baptism of fire. Custer's 5th Michigan Cavalry was armed with Spencer rifles (Not carbines!) in time for Gettysburg and used them to great effect. Afterwards, the Rebs who had faced them spoke of the "Damn Yankee rifle you could load in the morning and shoot all day!". This Spencer Carbine is in fair to good condition. It is complete and works well mechanically but has no finish left and is pretty heavily pitted. The gun has a steel gray patina with heavy dark brown spotting. The pitting is visible overall. As stated, the mechanics work well, and the magazine tube is complete. The bore is terrible. It is rough and heavily pitted. You can see rifling in many areas but not all. The stock and forearm are in fair condition with a heavy scattering of dings, scratches, and small gouges from years of use. There is a crack running from the lower butt plate almost to the lock mortise. This is a well-used old war horse, but a genuine Civil War cavalry carbine. Stock no. 31448

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