This is an example of a period Minnesota gunsmith's custom modified Civil War Spencer Carbine to a heavy barrel hunting rifle. The top barrel flat is marked with the gunmaker's name and address: "BACHNER BROS/MINNEAPOLIS/MINN". The rifle has a full octagon barrel which gauges at 44 caliber with blade front and sporting style rear sights. The top of the receiver is marked "MODEL/1865" and "SPENCER REPEATING RIFLE/PAT'D MARCH 6 1860/MANUF'D AT PROV. R.I./BY BURNSIDE RIFLE Co." The saddle ring bar has been removed. Smooth forearm and straight grip stock. Ernest and Bernard Bachner were twin brothers born in Prussia, circa 1844. The brothers learned the gunsmith trade in their native country before coming to America circa 1865 where Ernest held a position with a gun manufactory in Washington, D. C., and Bernard went West to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. About a year later both bothers relocated to Minneapolis and established Bachner Brothers.

Good. The barrel retains streaks of original brown finish with the balance a smooth dark patina. The receiver retains areas of silvered out original case colors with the balance a smooth dark patina. The wood is fair with a number of minor handling marks and the forearm showing a couple cracks and a couple missing pieces of wood. Mechanically good.