This carbine began its life as a standard Civil War era Spencer repeating carbine. During the war, the Spencer was one of the most advanced firearms, arguably the most advanced, and famously impressed President Lincoln. Given they were high quality weapons and one of the first combat suited repeating firearms, the Spencers remained popular after the war with troopers in the much reduced U.S. Cavalry as well, as Native Americans, frontier settlers, adventurers, buffalo hunters, and outlaws. In some ways, the success of the Spencer was its undoing. With 144,000 or more produced during the war and a tremendous stockpile of other surplus military arms, the post-war era firearms market was tight and Spencers were already available second hand. Given this, plus new high power cartridges, the Spencer Repeating Rifle Co. collapsed before the end of the decade, but their firearms continued on much further. Ammunition was still available into the Great Depression. Spencers were used in the Old West by both the U.S. Cavalry and pioneers, including the likes of Liver Eating Johnson and Buffalo Bill Cody and many of the frontier Spencers were customized to meet the needs and tastes of their owners. This carbine is pretty much a standard classic Spencer at first glance but has really interesting updated sights. The rear sight in particular is pretty interesting and is a hand filed U-notch that makes the sights really easy to acquire. The saddle ring and bar and markings aside from the serial number and some inspection markings were removed.

In fine "frontier issued" condition with genuine well-aged mottled brown patina that comes with age, some varnish staining on the metal from refinishing the wood, generally mild overall wear on the metal, and some chips and cracks in the wood. Mechanically fine. This is a very attractive Spencer rifle resighted to meet the needs of its owner and a very interesting artifact of from the Old West. Provenance: The John Fox Collection.