Through thepatronage of Secretary Welles, Spencer's rifle was successfullytested by the Navy, resulting in the purchase of 1,000 guns. #Serial number spencer 1865 manual#Manual cocking of the hammerthen readied the rifle for firing.The stage was now set for Spencer's rise to fame. In its final form, the Spencer rifle employed aspring-loaded seven-shot tubular magazine which was located in thebuttstock, and a lever-action which, when operated, ejected a spentcartridge and chambered a fresh one. At this time, Spencer also contracted withConnecticut ammunition makers Crittenden & Tibbals for themanufacture of a.56 caliber rimfire metallic cartridge for use inhis rifle. The Cheneys had long been friends of GideonWelles, Secretary of the Navy in Abraham Lincoln's administration,and this gave them, and Spencer's rifle, access to governmentofficials in Washington. This was later lowered to 50 cents for eachmilitary arm produced. In return, Spencer would receive a royalty of $1 for everyrifle produced. Lawrence, thensuperintendent of the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company, and thisassociation most likely influenced certain aspects of Spencer'sdesign.By the spring of 1861, civil war had come to America, and theCheney family entered into a contract with Spencer in which allrights and patents for Spencer's rifle design would be assigned tothem. Withfinancial backing from his father, Ogden Spencer, a prosperous woolmerchant, Christian was able to secure the services of LukeWheelock, an experienced gunsmith, for the production of prototypefirearms. By1859, with the encouragement of both his father and the Cheneys, hehad perfected a lever-action rolling block rifle design, and onMarch 6, 1860, he was awarded a U.S. TheCheneys paid Spencer a $25 royalty on every machine he produced.Although working 11 hour days six days per week, Spencer began toexperiment with an idea for a breech-loading repeating firearm. During thisperiod, Spencer designed and patented a machine to attach labels tospools, thus allowing one shop girl to do the work of three. His next stopwas at the factory of Samuel Colt, where he helped to design manyof the specialized machines used in the production of Coltrevolvers.Christian renewed his employment with the Cheney family in 1854when, at the age of 22, he became superintendent of hisbenefactor's new silk ribbon manufactory in Hartford. Ames Companyof Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, where he received his firstformal experience with the manufacture of firearms. During this period, he perfected several experimentalmachine designs, and in the process, he developed what would be alifelong relationship with the Cheneys.Īt the advice of FrankCheney, Spencer worked as a toolmaker in Rochester, New York, thenas a machinist in the locomotive repair shops of the New YorkCentral Railroad. After a year,he entered a second apprenticeship, this time with local machinistSamuel Loomis.In late 1850, Spencer returned to the employ of the Cheneys as amachinist. This firm was owned by the Cheney family, one of NewEngland's most enterprising and influential families. By the age of 14, Spencer was apprenticed to theMount Nebo Silk Manufacturing Co., located in South Manchester,Connecticut. At age 11, he went to live with his maternalgrandfather, Josiah Hollister, a veteran of the Revolutionary War.It was there that young Christian learned the rudiments of wood-and metalworking. 1867-1874 to.50 cal.īy sleeving the barrel.SN 50266Christian Minor Spencer was born in Manchester, Connecticut onJune 20, 1833. #Serial number spencer 1865 serial number#The serial number on this carbine indicates it wasmade c.1863-1865 in cal.52 rimfire (56-56) and converted bySpringfield Armory c. This allowed soldiers to load andfire single rounds, with the ammunition contained in the magazinekept in reserve. In post-war models, a patented magazine cut-offprevented the breechblock from traveling far enough to the rear toaccept a magazine-fed cartridge. These guns utilized aspring-loaded seven-shot tube magazine that was located in thebuttstock. The Spencer Carbine made its appearance during the Civil War,and many of these government-purchased arms were re-issued in the1870s for service on the frontier. Like most 65's produced by Spencer, it has the shorter 20' barrel in.50 Caliber with that 6 groove rifling. The particular carbine is in the 9500 range. 1865's from 1865-1866 in their own exclusive serial range totalling 23,000. #Serial number spencer 1865 serial numbers#
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