Make: Francis Bannerman

Model: 1896 Spencer Shotgun

Serial Number: 13976

Year of Manufacture: 1896-1898

Gauge: 12 GA with 2 5/8” Chambers - Blackpowder Only

Action Type: Pump Action Shotgun with 5 Round Tubular Magazine

Barrel Length: 30"

Choke: Full, Fixed

Sights / Optics: This shotgun is mounted with a small brass bead at the front of the barrel. There is a wide, shallow “U” groove in the top of the receiver’s chamber ring for aiming.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two piece walnut with checkered, grooved slide handle, smooth pistol grip, straight comb and checkered steel buttplate. We have not observed checkering on grooved slide handles, but it is quite uniform and may be a factory feature. There are a couple of thin cracks at the left-front of the slide handle. There is a tiny loss at the rear of the top tang and another in the heel at the point of the buttplate. There are some light nicks and scratches. The checkering ranges from well defined to worn nearly smooth. The LOP measures 13 1/2” from the front of the rear trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has mostly worn to white or gone to a patina with scattered surface erosion and well defined checkering. The stocks rate in Very Good-Fine overall condition as Antique.

Type of Finish: Damascus, Blue & Case Color

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is gray with scattered light erosion and pitting. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 5/10.

Overall Condition: This shotgun retains about 65% of its metal finish. The barrel has generally strong damascus patterning with scattered light wear. The magazine tube has some strong finish on the portion covered by the slide handle when closed, other surfaces show wear with areas going to a light patina. The receiver has generallys trong case color with some scattered wear and muted areas. There are scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There is some scattered light oxidation. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to disfigured with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this shotgun rates in Very Good-Fine condition as Antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this shotgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment: The first Spencer shotgun was invented by Sylvester Roper and Christopher Spencer in 1881, with Spencer continuing to update the design until 1883, when the Spencer Arms Company was formed to put the shotgun into production. Spencer was best known for his invention of the Spencer carbines and rifles used during the Civil War and the Indian Wars. The Spencer shotgun was the first successful American made slide or pump shotgun, and an important collector’s item from the historical viewpoint. This shotgun, and the Winchester pumps that followed, led to the end of the supremacy of the double-barreled shotguns.

The shotgun was successful for a time, but by 1890, Spencer Arms went into foreclosure and Francis Bannerman of New York acquired the patents for the shotgun and the rights to manufacture it. Bannerman later became famous for his mass merchandising of military surplus weapons. Bannerman produced the shotguns as the models of 1890, 1894, 1896 and 1900. By 1902, Bannerman ceased production to concentrate on his expanding weapons sales business. These are very interesting American shotguns, rather ahead of their time when they went into production, but were later superseded by competing designs such as the Winchester 1897.

This shotgun has a 30” twist steel barrel and is chambered for 2 5/8” blackpowder shells. The shotgun is in Very Good-Fine condition as Antique, retaining the majority of its original finish and strong mechanics. No collection of early American shotguns would be complete without a Spencer Repeating Shotgun, and this F. Bannerman example is in better condition than most examples we have seen. Please see our photos and good luck!