This was obtained not so much because of the obvious superiority of the Spencer system, but rather the fact that one of the directors of the new company, Charles Cheney, was the Boston neighbor and friend of Gideon Wells, the Secretary of the Navy1. Spencer Repeating Firearms, Roy Marcot, Norrthwood Heritage Press 1983, P.P. Front line units in the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac were at t he top of the priority list for repeating carbines, but commands in the west also received them. For many years, students of the Battle of Gettysburg have sung the praises of the Spencer rifle and its contribution to the great Union victory. These guns utilized a spring-loaded seven-shot tube magazine that was located in the buttstock. By the time General Wilson undertook his famous raid through the deep south, there were enough repeaters in the Army of the Tennessee that he could equip the entire party with them. The new round would also be.56' in body diameter. Small civilian, state and foreign orders would not sustain the company, neither would refinishing and spare parts work. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. When the Boston repeaters were issued, troops lucky enough to get them were unreserved in their praise.

Hoping for more and bigger orders, the second floor of the Chickering Pianoforte building was rented in Boston. However, by the time the prototype Spencers were being circulated within the military, the War Department already had outstanding orders for 15 or 20 different patterns of breech loading arms. Among the first operations to include them were naval landings along the Carolina coast in early 1863. These are the Henry and Spencer repeaters. Initial delivery was to begin in August and be complete before the end of the year. The problem is mostly caused by the fact that the hammer must be cocked between shots. When the short guns appeared, they were an immediate success. Faced with such a daunting task, the War Department pretty much threw up its collective hands and declared that no new patent weapons would be ordered. This made possible the production of millions of identical threaded fasteners, which made modern standardized hardware practical. (8) As one can readily imagine, word of such spectacular results against great odds spread like wildfire through the army. The serial number on this carbine indicates it was made c.1863-1865 in cal.52 rimfire (56-56) and converted by Springfield Armory c.

1860 spencer carbine serial number ranges īy late summer gun parts were being produced.

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