Product Details
A RARE .56-50 RIMFIRE SPRINGFIELD ARMOURY ALTERED SPENCER MODEL 1865 CARBINE TO RIFLE, CIRCA 1871, serial no. 5026 and B175,
with 32 1/2in. barrel rifled with three grooves, fitted with block and blade front-sight that doubles as a bayonet lug, battle leaf rear-sights to 500 yards, the barrel stamped on the left with the original carbine serial number 5026 which is also on the action socket, then stamped on the right with its Springfield Armoury conversion number 'B175', the breech stamped 'SPENCER REPEATING RIFLE / PAT'D. MARCH 6 1860 / MANUF'D AT PROV. R.I. / BY BURNSIDE RIFLE CO. MODEL 1865', plain unmarked back-action lock with side-hammer, the action fitted with the Stabler cut-off allowing the rifle to be used as a single shot with the magazine held in reserve, iron mounted two piece full walnut stock, the butt housing the seven round tubular magazine, the left butt stamped with a faint inspecting officer's cartouche, the fore-end secured by two spring retained barrel bands
Provenance: This is a rare official alteration of a Burnside Spencer carbine to a rifle; the modification was carried out at Springfield in 1871. The selected carbines were refinished and a new rifle barrel added, the barrels being the same as those used on the Model 1868 Springfield Trapdoor rifle, also added was a new fore-end with two barrel band and a rod. Only 1,108 were produced, making them an exceptionally rare collectors item, there is no indication of them having been issued
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Estimate £1,200-1,600
Sold as an exempt item under Section 58 (2) of the 1968 Firearms Act, to be held as a curiosity or ornament