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View Full Version : WTS: Armi-Sport Spencer carbine, .56-50



OregonBill
09-14-2020, 08:18 AM
This is a well-cared-for Armi Sport Spencer carbine in .56-50 centerfire. The carbine is in excellent condition. I see a light scratch on the left side of the butt stock and two pairs of small grooves in the bottom of the forend just ahead of the receiver. I see a shallow pit in the bore about four inches rear of the front sight, and some slight color case wear where the sling swivel ring has rubbed inside the sling bar. Other than this, the carbine is in excellent shape and looks new from about three feet away. It comes with RCBS .56-50 Spencer dies, a Lodgewood/Lee .515 345-grain two-cavity mould (345 grains out of my range scrap) and 72 virgin Starline .56-50 cases, plus two dozen once-fired.
How does it shoot? I fired handloads with a COAL of 1.610 inches. They fed well from the seven-shot butt magazine -- and required "robust" operation of the lever to extract and eject, but this is a common attribute of the Spencer. I used two loads. The first was 35 grains of Old Eynesford FFFg over a CCI 350 primer, compressed by the 345-grain Lodgewood bullet as cast and hand-lubed with SPG, seated to 1.61 inches COAL and well crimped. The second was 9 grains Trail Boss under the same bullet, but with a Winchester Large Rifle primer. Snugging the front sight down into the rear notch at six o'clock the carbine shot to the sights at 25 yards with FFFg and Trail Boss. Groups would have been better if I had younger eyes and the trigger was less then 10 pounds or more. So, the little toot can shoot.
Asking $1350 shipped for the whole package. Has to go to an FFL. Not looking for trades, thanks.


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50338719498_82f2efd97f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jGg6wS)fullsizeoutput_15e6 (https://flic.kr/p/2jGg6wS) by ComeWatson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/93930283@N08/), on Flickr
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https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50339561332_dd5e71fc0d_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jGkpMf)fullsizeoutput_15eb (https://flic.kr/p/2jGkpMf) by ComeWatson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/93930283@N08/), on Flickr
fullsizeoutput_15ea (https://flic.kr/p/2jGkpPe) by ComeWatson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/93930283@N08/), on Flickr

OregonBill
09-14-2020, 09:17 PM
Here is irony. My great-grandfather, William P.R. Wood, Third Wisconsin Cavalry, was likely issued the single-shot Merrill carbine (or horrors, the Cosmopolitan), which had a breechblock mechanism that echoed elements of the circa 1858 Westley Richards Monkey Tail action. I had a Merrill and liked it with its very deep lands and grooves, but I bet great grand-dad would have given a kidney to have a Spencer when chasing "secesh" as he called them in his diaries across the Missouri border country.

OregonBill
10-04-2020, 07:19 PM
Sold it, and sorry for forgetting to say so.