Among the early users was George Armstrong Custer. The Spencer repeating rifle was adopted by the Union Army, especially by the cavalry, during the American Civil War but did not replace the standard issue muzzle-loadingrifled muskets in use at the time. The Spencer was the world's first military metallic cartridge repeating rifle, and over 200,000 examples were manufactured in the United States by the Spencer Repeating Rifle Co. The Spencer repeating rifles and carbines were early American lever-action firearms invented by Christopher Spencer. Your Carbine with that serial number would have been near the end of the. The US Army received 45,733 of these in number and may not be matched by serial numbers. The 1860 Model Spencer Carbines that were manufactured between 1863-1865, had serial numbers falling between 11,001 and 62,000.I also purchased reproduction shell casings and a bullet mold. I purchased a reproduction bar and ring and they fit perfectly without any alterations.

The serial numbers match all the way through with the exception of the ring and slide bar which were missing. I have a Burnside Carbine serial number 22658.So I have been trying to find out what did Starr start their serial numbers at. Now one of my new toys is a cartridge model with serial number 30105. I know they made 20,601 of the percussion carbines and that they made 5,002 of the cartridge model. Spencer Repeating Rifle CompanyBurnside Rifle Co Ĥ7 in (1,200 mm) rifle with 30 inch barrelģ9.25 in (997 mm) carbine with 22 inch barrel īut am having vary little luck. Which makes no sense as the serial numbers would seem to be in the post March 1865 production date but yet they are issued in 1864. The highest SN's on the list were between 32,629 and 39,584, but with 1864 issuance dates. Being before rimfire cartridge production it had to be percussion. Looking at the listing of (known/recorded) Starr carbines, the I see one was issued Jto Company 'M' 1st NY Cav with a serial number of 30,773. Starr went out of business in 1867, a victim of the Sharps. On April 11th, Starr received a new contract for 2,000 more. Starting in March, 2001 were delivered, and the last 1,000 sneeking under the wire and being shipped on April 10th. Ordnance people were mildly impressed, and on February 21 ordered 3,000 to be delivered on or before April 10, 1865. IMHO, it would appear Starr just ran the serial numbers.ĭuring the January 1865 carbine tests for a new carbine, Starr paraded out their ne3 cartridge model.

1860 spencer carbine serial numbers