Duelist1954 shoots the Spencer

[Captainkirk]

Mike Beliveau demonstrates the withering firepower a Spencer carbine is capable of compared to the single shot weaponry at the time (1865). Pretty good shooting, too!

[Bishop Creek]

Thanks for posting Captain. Until I watched Mike's video I did not realize that the Spencer carbine came in 44/40. Now it's on my wish list! 

[Captainkirk]

Despite the added encumbrance of having to thumb back the hammer (and the obvious snafu at the end where the shells did not want to eject) you had 7 shots at the ready, quick reloading (likely faster to shuck seven in the buttstock than to load one on a frontstuffer), knockdown power in droves (.56/50 or the venerable .44-40), and most obvious; the comparison to one man with this rifle versus one man with a muzzleloader? Draw your own conclusions.
Little wonder that fewer than 50 men armed with Spencers held off Roman Nose and anywhere from 200 to 1000 warriors for days in the battle of Beecher's Island.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Beecher_Island

That battle alone cemented the Spencer in the annals of great guns of history (for me, anyway) I would truly love to own one of these pieces of history.
 

[Bishop Creek]

It's a shame that Custer's men at the Little Big Horn were armed with single shot trapdoor Springfield rifles which had a tendency to jam after repeated firing, soldiers having to dig the copper cartridge cases out of the breech with their knives, instead of Spencer rifles or carbines. Many of the Cheyenne and Sioux there were armed with Henry rifles.

[Captainkirk]

It's a shame that Custer's men at the Little Big Horn were armed with single shot trapdoor Springfield rifles which had a tendency to jam after repeated firing, soldiers having to dig the copper cartridge cases out of the breech with their knives, instead of Spencer rifles or carbines. Many of the Cheyenne and Sioux there were armed with Henry rifles.

Yes. Almost as tragic as Custer turning down the two Gatlings.

[StrawHat]

The Springfield was and still is a great rifle.  The cooper cases of the day were the culprit.  They swelled upon firing, as does a brass case, but unlike brass, they did not "unswell".  A ramrod under the barrel would have gone  along way to helping those troopers.

Had a Spencer, 56-50, built by the Burnside Rifle Company.  Back then, the cartridges were available from collectors and I fired a magazine full.  Expensive, but fun.  I converted it to CF with a separate breechblock and used modified 50 caliber cases.  Still fun but it was not the magic rifle I had heard about.  It went down the road at some point.  I still have the Burnside and find it the better carbine.

Kevin