My buddy just found this in his attic

[rgramjet]

What is it? A Spencer maybe?

 

[budman93]

That is so cool. It is a Spencer

 

[Doctor_M]

Man... that is awesome... give that old gal some love.

 

[rgramjet]

How should I advise him to treat her?

He is a hunter but by no means a collector.

 

[4g64loser]

It is a spencer. Depending on internal parts condition, it may be a wall hanger. My uncle had a couple in working order. Ammo for the actual originals is super hard to get (rimfire) but there are repros that are chambered for centerfire.

Since your buddy isn't a major collector, he may or may not care. If he's not into the history of it, hang it on the wall or sell it.

 

[Threeband]

General Custer is jealous.


Tell him the less he does to it, the better. He's better off not even trying to clean it up unless he knows what he's doing.



He could probably get $200 for it at a Buy Back. That is a Military Grade Assault Rifle.

 

[rgramjet]

He is picking out a wall for it.

Interesting that its a rimfire.

 

[4g64loser]

Early self contained cartridge stuff was mostly rimfire. Low pressure, so the stronger case head wasn't needed. These were popular with some union units, especially cavalry, when they could get them. More ruggedly constructed than the first henrys. Downside was that the spencer was a bit more annoying to load (loading tube through stock) and had a slightly lower capacity.

ETA: your friend appears to have a cavalry carbine at first glance. Most likely a 56-56 spencer round.

 

[ChannelCat]

Very nice find!

 

[budman93]

I would probably just dust it off and oil it up to keep it as is.

 

[Johnconlee]

I will be the first volunteer on attic clean up day at this guys house.

 

[Doctor_M]

I'm guessing he could get 1,000 to 1,200 for it even in its current condition.

 

[GuitarmanNick]

Very nice find.

 

[Threeband]

Early self contained cartridge stuff was mostly rimfire. Low pressure, so the stronger case head wasn't needed. These were popular with some union units, especially cavalry, when they could get them. More ruggedly constructed than the first henrys. Downside was that the spencer was a bit more annoying to load (loading tube through stock) and had a slightly lower capacity.

ETA: your friend appears to have a cavalry carbine at first glance. Most likely a 56-56 spencer round.

By the end of the war, much of the Union cavalry was equipped with Spencers, and they continued to be so equipped for another 10 years. At Little Bighorn in 1876, 11 years after the war, the 7th Cavalry had only recently had their 7 shot Spencers replaced with single shot Trapdoors. Some have suggested that Custer had come to take for granted the Spencer's firepower, but I doubt that had much to do with his ill-fated decision to attack at the Greasy Grass on that day.

See if your buddy can identify the model he has:

Age Verification - NRA

www.americanrifleman.org

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/spencer-carbine-model-1860-or-1865.121086/

 

[135sohc]

Cool stuff.

Makes me wonder about my brother/sister in laws house. It was built in the mid 40's by my moms side of the family and god knows how much stuff is hidden in the attic insulation or inside a wall. I installed a ceiling fan a couple weeks ago and digging through the insulation, no cool stuff like guns/knives but all sorts of random things I was finding. Would not surprise me if there was an old rifle hiding up there.

 

[pre64hunter]

Step 1, I'd do a little research and get some education on it now that you know what it is. Start with Wikipedia and look at the ones for sale on Guns International.
Then decide if you want to hang it on the wall, shoot it, love it or leave it.

Then Plan A, I'd take it to the antique arms show next March in Timonium, get more education and maybe sell it, take the cash and buy a high quality new repro like a Cimaron that shoots modern ammo. Then you can hang it, love it, shoot it.
Plan B, take the money and buy another gun...ALWAYS buy another gun.

 

[welder516]

I would have thought a dead hooker. But his find was good

 

[Threeband]

I would have thought a dead hooker. But his find was good

What are you thinking, man?
A dead hooker won't keep long in an attic.

 

[rseymorejr]

What are you thinking, man?
A dead hooker won't keep long in an attic.

Dead hooker bones?

 

[Melnic]

Wall hanger and a cool conversation piece for sure!

He can start it off with “I found this original Civil War AR and I’m sure it waxed a bunch of Red Coats over in Nam”. “ found it next to some bones and a bottle of Tanqueray in the attic”


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