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MODEL 1865 SPENCER CARBINE – COLORADO
TERRITORY MARKED EXCELLENT SPECIMEN:
An excellent example of one of the more historically
significant guns of the post Civil War American
Frontier, this Colorado Territory marked Model 1865
Spencer Carbine has survived the passage of time in
remarkable condition.
Well
documented in Spencer Repeating Firearms by Roy
Marcot (page 129), surviving US Army Ordnance Department
records reveal that 500 Spencer Carbines were
transferred to the Colorado Territory Militia. That
Colorado received such a limited number of these
carbines, coupled with the use and wear to which most of
them must have been subjected during the continuing
conflicts with the Indians in that region, this carbine
is one of the few that survived in the condition that it
presents today.
The smooth
barrel surface still retains much of the bright blue
finish, as does the barrel band. The bore is excellent,
with clear strong rifling throughout, and has an overall
bright surface with only some very faint, minor shading
at the breech end. The original front
and rear sights are present and intact. The receiver
has some isolated areas of light pitting as can be seen
in the photographs, but is otherwise smooth with a nice
patina. The breech block is in excellent condition with
much of the original bright case colors remaining and
the block functions with a very crisp action. The lock
plate and hammer are overall smooth with no pitting, and
the hammer and trigger are mechanically crisp. The butt
plate has some minor, light pitting at the toe, but
otherwise has a nice patina with traces of the case
coloring pattern remaining. Overall the butt stock and
forearm are in excellent condition, with both cartouches
present and legible, and only a few handling marks. The
left side of the butt stock is stamped “U.S.; COL. TER”
and the stamping is bright and very evident.
This is a very nice example of a fairly scarce historic
Spencer Carbine, and unusual in that it has survived in
such nice condition as opposed to the aged and heavily
worn condition so characteristic of many of these
Colorado Spencers. $5,750
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