CIVIL WAR Antique BURNSIDE SPENCER Patent Model 1865 SPRINGFIELD ARMORY .50 Saddle Ring Carbine

Product Description

CIVIL WAR Antique BURNSIDE SPENCER Patent Model 1865 SPRINGFIELD ARMORY .50

Saddle Ring Carbine

Here we present an antique Burnside Rifle Company Contract Model 1865 Spencer Saddle Ring Carbine, made in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1871, Springfield Armory converted approximately 1,108 Burnside-Spencer carbines by fitting the actions with rifle length barrels chambered for .50 Spencer rimfire ammunition with three-groove rifling and adding the Stabler cut-off device. This one received this conversion to rifle length and was subsequently shortened.

The Spencer was a very successful carbine that was desirable on Civil War battlefields due to its handy size, accuracy, and rate of fire. The magazine tube in the butt holds 7 shots and a captured Confederate soldier is quoted as saying that you “load in the morning and fire all day!” The inventor, Christian Spencer, had the unique opportunity to personally instruct President Abraham Lincoln as he test-fired the rifle, resulting in more military sales. This specimen is one of the Burnside Contract, making it scarcer than those made by the Spencer Repeating Rifle Company. Out of the 34,000 made by Burnside, over 30,000 were purchased by the U.S. government.

This rifle converted Saddle Ring Carbine was bored out and the old .52 caliber barrel received an inserted, reinforced rifle sleeve in the new .50 caliber (.56-50). These reinforced Spencer short arms and long arms produced higher velocity and greater accuracy for the troops. Ordnance Department records indicate that roughly 11,000 Spencers were altered at the Springfield Armory facility between 1866 and 1874 and bore the characteristics found in this Spencer Carbine including the Stabler Cut-Off. In the latter part of the war Edward M. Stabler of Maryland invented the Stabler Cut-Off Device. It prevented the cartridge from feeding the magazine to the receiver by limiting the lowering of the breech block. The carbine could then be used as a single shot weapon. A few of these equipped carbines were manufactured by the Spencer factory, plus 19,000 of the 30,496 of the Burnside Spencers were equipped with the Stabler Cut-Off Device.

This would have been an upgrade for a grunt lugging around the Trapdoor rifles of the time that were powerful, but only single shot, whereas the Spencer still packed plenty of punch but with 7 in the rear-feed magazine tube.

The overall condition is good. Patina. The action is excellent. The bore is bright with sharp rifling. The forestock is a replacement; the butt stock is solid, showing use. Numbers are matching on the barrel and on the receiver from the Springfield Armory conversion. Stabler cutoff has been removed.

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 24-1/2 inches.

Caliber: .50 Spencer

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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$2500
#247647