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Item No.:	10794	Price :	$4,995.00
Item :	CIVIL WAR MODEL 1860 SPENCER ARMY MODEL RIFLE, .52 CALIBER, W/ ORIGINAL SLING

Description :

This is an original, Civil War, M1860 Spencer Repeating Army Model Rifle. 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 rifle is in very good condition. There is little to no original finish remaining. The entire rifle has a steel gray patina with some brown speckling. The rifle has excellent mechanics with a working magazine tube, plunger, and spring. The bore is in fine condition. There are a few brown speckles, but it is mostly shiny. The stock is very good with a scattering of small dings and scratches from use. An inspector's cartouche is faintly visible on the left side of the wrist. Included is the rifle's original, Civil War leather sling. It is in fair to good condition. The leather remains flexible. There is some cracking of the leather at stress points. Spencer made over 50,000 carbines but only 11,470 rifles. They are fairly scarce. Stock no. 32703

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