Make: Spencer Repeating Rifle Company

Model: 1865 Rifle

Serial Number: 2401

Year of Manufacture: 1863-1866

Caliber: .50 Springfield Carbine (.56-50 Spencer Rimfire)

Action Type: Lever Operated Repeating Rifle Fed By Tubular Magazine (not present)

Barrel Length: 30”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade fixed to a slotted base fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a folding ladder sight. There is a “V” notch in the bottom of the sight for use when the ladder is folded down. When the ladder is raised, there is a “U” notch at the bottom of the ladder, a “V” notch at the top of the slider and another in the top edge of the ladder. The ladder is marked from “2” at the bottom of the ladder for use with the lower “U” notch, “3” to “8” for use with a slider, and marked “9” next to the notch on the top edge.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two piece smooth walnut. The forend has a nosecap and three spring-clip secured bands with a sling swivel on the middle band. The forend is secured with a screw at the bottom-rear. The buttstock has a straight grip, straight comb, sling swivel in the belly and a steel semi-crescent buttplate with a hole for a tubular buttstock magazine. No magazine is included with this listing. The stocks have some scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. The wood shows discoloration from age and oil. There are a few minor cracks around the edges. The LOP measures 13” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate has some scattered light surface oxidation and erosion, most notable at the heel. The stocks rate in about Fine overall condition as Antique.

Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color

Finish Originality: The finish appears Original to the parts, we believe that the barrel is not original to the receiver (see Our Assessment).

Bore Condition: The 6-groove rifled bore is bright, tending to gray at the muzzle. The rifling is sharp. There is some minor oxidation and erosion throughout. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 6/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 10% of its metal finish. Most of the remaining finish is in the barrel which has scattered minor surface oxidation and some spots of light surface erosion. The exposed portions of the receiver are worn to white with some case color visible inside the receiver and on the portions of the lever/breech-block assembly which are concealed when the action is open. The receiver and lever/breech-block assembly have some scattered minor surface oxidation and infrequent minor erosion. There are some light nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with serviceable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition as Antique.

Mechanics: No magazine included. This rifle was originally equipped with a Stabler Cutoff device, but it has been removed and a fill-screw installed. Otherwise, the action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: Christopher Miner Spencer, a leading figure of the machine tool industry, developed this action. The Spencer carbine was different from any other firearm of its time, a repeater using a metallic cartridge. By the end of the Civil War, more than 144,000 Spencer rifles and carbines had been manufactured. Spencer rifles and carbines met with high praise from those who were equipped with them, and with respect from those who faced them in battle. In its first combat test, Spencer-armed Union troops under the command of Colonel John Wilder earned the nickname “Lightning Brigade” when they defeated a numerically superior Confederate force at the Battle of Hoover’s Gap.

This is a Spencer Rifle with an M1865 marked barrel, differing from its Civil War predecessor by having a .50 caliber bore instead of the earlier .52 caliber. The barrel is for an M1865 Rifle, but the serial number on the receiver is not in the range for this model, indicating that the barrel has been installed on an earlier receiver. The receiver was at one time equipped with a Stabler Cut-Off device, but it has been removed. The bore is quite good considering both the rifle's age and that it would have exclusive use of black powder. The stocks are also in quite good shape for their age. Find a magazine for this guy and it’ll be a great repeater, if not then you have a nice single shot rifle on your hands. This is a nice find for collectors of Civil War-era and other early American cartridge rifles.