Was This The Rifle That Changed Everything?

[@jpiper2001]

Unforgiven. Great film and this rifle has a big part.

[@HSmith-uk9hl]

I have an original, fully functional Spencer Carbine... rimfire, of course. A reproduction using centerfire cartridges like the one you have would be a truly fun gun to shoot.

[@michaelkaminsky9914]

Buffalo arms and S&S firearms sells conversion blocks to center-fire, no permanent modification however they need fitted. I did mine this past June, still working out the kinks with overall length of cartridges.

[@kbjerke]

Very sweet little plinker! Thanks, Hickok45, and Happy New Year!

[@MarlinWilliams-ts5ul]

FYI. Christopher Spencer also invented the Pump Action Shotgun (in the early 1880) The shop where they were manufactured is still standing, currently an HVAC company in Windsor, Ct.

[@rolandschleicher7458]

This is a general comment about the channel. The imaging is consistently clear and the audio, especially the mechanical sound during firearm loading and manipulation, is crisp. The total effect makes your videos a tactile experience. Well done sirs.

[@davidfranceschelli4789]

Interesting about this company named Chiapa and their reproductions. From an estate auction, I picked up another Chiapa reproduction, a Quigley Down Under Sharps falling block. There were two models, a high wall in 45-70, and the one I picked up, a low wall in .22 LR. It is the same size, has the similar charging handle and a long barrel.

[@rickcole2301]

Hickok45 gotcha and when you brought it back around you said 1960 and then you changed it again. I'm so glad to hear you make a blooper. I make bloopers all the time so I'm not alone lol

[@Z7d3nR4]

I was just about to mention that.

[@lucasfff1370]

@@Z7d3nR4 me too

[@VikingWelder]

Long live hickok45

[@oldgeezerproductions]

About 30 years ago I and my horse was doing Civil War mounted cavalry reenacting and my group styled itself 'The 7th Michigan Cavalry.' Most of the guys had original (but modified for center fire) Spencers -- the later reproductions were not yet available and working originals were still affordable. A little history: during the 3rd day of the Battle of Gettysburg, at the "East Cavalry Field," North and East of Gettysburg itself, G. A. Custer's Michigan Cavalry Brigade (including the 7th Michigan) was there and armed with repeating Spencers. Stewart's cavalry had orders to support Pickett's attack, but were stopped by the unexpected and overwhelming firepower of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade's repeating Spencers. By the time I joined the group, working original Spencers were no longer available at anywhere near an affordable price so I carried a Smith carbine, which I could shoot almost as quickly as a Spencer if you take into account the time to reload the Spencer's magazine and retrieve the precious spent cartridges. I've always wanted a Spencer, but at my age I need to start finding homes for all my firearms, not get anything more.

[@benwatkins7600]

I feel that last sentiment brother!

[@tberkoff]

Chiappa is the only company making them now and they are made in batches in Italy and imported in batches. As a result, they are difficult to find in the USA.

[@rac558]

I've got an eye on getting one of these reproduction Spencer rifles in the near future...love these! It's funny how some movies spur you to buy. I remember when the movie 'Silverado' came out in the 80's....I ran right out and got a Uberti brass frame Henry rifle. "I haven't had a drink of whiskey or slept in a bed in 10 days!"👍

[@ron.v]

What a classic. I always wanted to see a spencer in action. Thanks!

[@rongarrett1366]

Louie L'Amour was a fan of the Spencer also. When called "Boy" during a showdown, Tyrel Sackett answered, "This here Spencer ain't no boy." in one of the Louie's Sackett novels.

[@robdavidson4945]

My favourite Fiction writer by far.

[@rongarrett1366]

@@robdavidson4945 They should have used that line instead of the one the screenwriter wrote for "The Sacketts" miniseries on TV.

[@terryhall3907]

I don’t remember which book it was but someone had a sign that was near their cabin that said- you are now within range of my.56 Spencer

[@terryhall3907]

I don’t remember which book it was but someone had a sign that was near their cabin that said- you are now within range of my.56 Spencer

[@robdavidson4945]

​@@terryhall3907I think it was "The Empty Land" but it's been years since I read the books. My wife bought me special edition faux leather with gold embossed books backinthe 1980's. I didn't know until about 15 years ago that I actually worked as a cowboy on the ranch that he stayed on while writing the "Mountain Valley War". I didn't know f

[@Bear-lx4bk]

Beautiful piece of history

[@AndrewMychalus]

The Spencer shot a cartridge which was renamed several times, but all the rounds more or less interchangable. Initially called the.56-56 as the gun used a nearly straightwall .56 diameter case. Actual bore was considered a .52 and during wartime (Civil War that is) the cartridge was changed to a crimped bullet and renamed 52-56, then post Civil War the bore on late production examples was reduced slightly to .512 and became the .50-56. Original examples can be fired if one buys a replacement breechblock which converts the rimfire to centerfire ignition. Ammo for the .50-56 is available but it is an easy caliber to handload for and that is what I do with my original. I also have a Chiappa replica. I've run a variety of my own ammo thru it. Chronographed performance about same with either black powder or smokeless loads. Able to get about 37 grains of black powder into a case under a 350 gr Lyman cast bullet. Muzzle velocity between 950-975 fps. Not spectacular until one realizes energy puts it into catagory of power similar to .44 magnum. That heavy bullet just hits so hard.

[@jayshaw63]

My great,great grandfather, and five great, great uncles we in Company C, 4th Iowa Volunteer Calvary. Armed with Spencer carbines.

[@ifronnin]

I was just listening to the book “Empire of the Summer Moon” in which they mentioned the incredible advancement this rifle proved over its single-shot precedents. I thought to myself “I should search for a Hickok45 video about it” and boom, this video was uploaded.

[@Oldjeeper]

My great great grandfather was killed at the 2nd battle of Bull run fighting for the South. His brother lived through the war and fought for the North. I have this rifle in the Taylor rifle version in 44-40. Ammo is not as easy to find as the 45, but mine ejects cartridges very positively. This might be due to the fact that the rim on 45 Colt cartridges are not very pronounced. Mine was made by Chiappa and has very good color case hardening; is accurate, and functions without any jams at all. It is a heavy rifle however.

[@benwatkins7600]

What a gorgeous piece of machinery, would love to have one!

[@marcmccook9154]

Great context and history to include the human element and manufacturing. Thank you for the demonstration always great.

[@paymonm9065]

The Spencer rifle/carbine and the 1873 Winchester are to me the most beautiful cartridge rifles ever made.

[@MarlinWilliams-ts5ul]

Sharps Rifle: "Hold my beer."

[@paymonm9065]

@ the sharps is a good looker too. Prettier than even the 1873 Winchester.

[@Baltimoreed]

A very cool carbine. Earlier this year I bought a Krag carbine. Love those carbines.

[@mothmagic1]

This must be one of the most beautiful of the early reapeating weapons. It just looks so sleek.

[@jeannieheard1465]

Great to see this and have been linked to it. Thank your son for us.

[@wrwindsor]

4:50, nice Randall Smithsonian Bowie.

[@dougjohnson1199]

Hickok and John - Thanks for another year of great videos. Thanks also for standing up to the anti 2nd amendment jerks at KZbin. God Bless you guys! Happy new year..............

[@ridgerunner5772]

56-50...... If one seeks keen reading about the deployment of the Spencer, rifle in particular, seek out Wilder's Brigade.... His troops used the Rifle, not the carbine and practiced a doctrine that would become basic tactics of Panzer Grenadiers..... The rifles arrived at Smyrna, Tennessee and were deployed at the Reconnaissance in force at the Battle of Hoover's Gap, Tullahoma Campaign.

[@michaelkaminsky9914]

56-50 Was the cartridge for the 1865 Burnside contract model Spencer. Very few burnsides saw service if any, 56-56 was the 1860 caliber designation for Boston made Spencer's. Later postwar Spencer's that were altered at Springfield armory with a stabler cutoff were lined with a 56-50 liner.

[@rongarrett1366]

The officers who were on the front lines fighting asked for repeaters but were overruled by the desk officers.

[@StevenSmith-pt8rz]

Sounds like the U.S. military pencil pushers we have in Washington now.

[@ianmaestas1885]

A truly exquisite piece--I love it! Some of these older firearms have truly interesting designs. Simple has proven many times to be best. 🤓😀

[@REXOB9]

Beautiful rifle, thanks for showing it to us.

[@goodcitizen64]

Nice firearms!! Thanks 👍

[@JerryRedd-bs8xi]

😅Yes it was the Blakesly speed loader.Seven tubes of 7 cartridges in a large tube shape on a sling

[@Thomas-oo9lu]

Had the pleasure of using the same rifle for 🦌 season here a couple of years ago, I had previously owned a Rossi.44mag that I had used with sucsess but liked the Spencer repro better, brought down a nice 8pt. On the run 60+yd. From a lower position to a ridge line. More accurate than my .44mag lever

[@savage22bolt32]

❤ the history lesson, and the beautiful Spencer too!

[@BuckFama]

There are few things in this world that are as beautiful to me as a case hardened receiver.

[@gregorydoerfler7681]

I have an original that once cleaned up modified the action with parts from S&S Firearms. Star line brass, 50g black powder and 56 Cal bullet. Shoots very well and baring black powder smoke must have been a fearsome weapon to behold. Accurate but as you show one must tip the carbine up to aid in cartridge ejection. Suspect original cartridge slightly smaller.

[@atrocitusofryutt8410]

From my research the biggest reason any repeater got the cold shoulder from the military wasn’t even the cost of ammunition that soldiers would waste, it was that that the military was so far behind in updating their weapons to the Springfield rifle musket (typical military fashion lol) that it didn’t make sense to start dumping that money into an experimental weapon when the military couldn’t even manage to uphold what was considered “standard issue” and that sentiment is what kept repeaters only in use by the cavalry, which has a legitimate reason to need an upgrade with their lack of ability to load muzzle load rifles from horseback and the limited range that handguns had. To be fair. If your military is allowing you to purchase your own weapons instead of enforcing standards. You know they aren’t in a great position logistically or financially.

[@G.I.JeffsWorkbench]

Wow, nice repeating rifle. It must have been a real game changer in 1863 / 64. Now I know what to ask for next Christmas.

[@Clawson_customs]

I would like to have one of those guns

[@demetriuscooksey7147]

You n me both!

[@nuancolar7304]

The Spencer was a good, solid rifle but it was also one of the reasons the 7th Cavalry was massacred at the Little Bighorn. It wasn't the only reason, and probably not even the biggest reason, but troops carrying the single shot Spencer carbine were facing repeating rifles which had a far greater rate of fire, and this was a critical difference in that engagement. Not all of the tribal warriors had repeating rifles, but enough did that it made a huge difference. Imagine you are dismounted and trying to stave off many attackers who are closing on your position. And your attackers are also shooting at you with a rifle that can fire 3, 4, or 5 shots to your one.

[@peterv.a360]

Hello Hickok45 Very Cool Rifles 💥💥💥

[@noexcuses6727]

I have an original Spencer Carbine with the saddle ring, rimfire, unfortunately the buttstock magazine is frozen in place due to age, rust, corrosion and such.

[@RandallSchwed]

When I was in jr high the history teacher brought in a real Spencer and we all handled it, the world was more fun.

[@The7humpwump]

Paper cartridges did a nice deep dive on this and the truth behind it’s development. It’s a lot more to it than what we were taught

[@mcmax571]

The first crime was that by 1864 the entire Union Army was not armed with the Spencer and the second one was that the government adopted the Trapdoor single shot instead of the Spencer.

[@docmason9677]

Beautiful firearm. William Munny: All I can tell you is who's going to be last'.

[@SloopJohnB91]

Thanks for the history lesson!

[@stevenmitchell6347]

Unfortunately, the "spray and pray" practice became a reality with the increased capacity and faster reloading of the "wonder nines". Far too many "officer involved" shootings in the past 30+ years show dozens of rounds fired with minimal, if any, hits on the "target."

[@varanid9]

Your .45 colt Spencer repro's chambering isn't really THAT far off; civilian Spencers chambered in .56-46 had bullet weights and black powder charges not a whole lot more than the .45's. I think the case length was actually slightly shorter, though wider. Kind of a moot point if one's shooting smokeless anyway. I think the bullet weights were around 270 compared to the heavier 45s at 255.

[@ronwelch6548]

Didn't they make speed loaders for the Spencer

[@DirkDiggler6903]

You have a link for the Bowie Knife?

[@nigelkavanagh2048]

Great vid sir!

[@bw4593]

3:13 lol right after you get done saying 1860 NOT 1960 😉

[@joelaichner3025]

Where’d the term Blow your Wad come from , everything comes from the past , I’d guess from the gun ? Muzzle loader thing

[@rocksteady13]

Life is good

[@donio8194]

Nice. When You put full review about canik mc9 LS ?

[@ricktaylor5744]

Thank you hickok.

[@BuckFama]

The Spencer is on the very short list of most important firearms in history.

[@mobilegamersunite]

I just took my cast of my hand as well! Yours looks like it recovered better than mine tho 😅

[@jasonbeecher509]

What a fantastic rifle

[@cuznclive2236]

Thank you.

[@69dlx84]

Yes

[@michaelbrown3731]

I am the proud owner of an original Spencer Carbine that was made in 1864.

[@norm5785]

I enjoy long distance firearms.

[@STMwoodturning]

Does your rifle have a problem ejecting empties or is that just how they work?

[@rongarrett1366]

Hickok45 and Honest Abe were each born in Kentucky.

[@sdebeaubien]

Can you even imagine going out on the front lawn of the Whitehouse and shooting this thing with ABRAHAM LINCOLN? You need to remember, he was raised basically in the frontier lands, hunting, and well, indian fighting, which made him a pretty tough, and knowledgeable fellow when it came to firearms.

[@robdavidson4945]

Very cool! I want one.

[@Leadpipe1969]

Chippia Firearms makes them too

[@KH2837]

I'd love to have one of those!!

[@fireballsoutherner]

Nice rifle. Doubt Gen. Custer and his regiment think that though. 😂

[@davidowens989]

Is that actual Color Case hardening or just a chemical effect?

[@usualsuspect5173]

I keep daring myself to order one ...

[@ripvanwinkle2002]

Just Lovely!

[@lelonbond6682]

they had the box with bullets in tubes that you could load fast.compared to the single shot would have been lie having a machine gun.

[@brianmitchell4957]

You are the best... God Bless...2025 😊😊😊 🙏

[@CreakyCricket]

I wonder who cleans the weapons.

[@tommontelbano2913]

Believe Clint Eastwood shot an original Spencer rimfire in the great 1992 movie UNFORGIVEN with co stars Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman Greg. If you like Westerns, it’s worth the modest rental fee. Last night I watched John Wayne in the 1939 B&W movie STAGECOACH!

[@gregm6801]

Very Nice

[@congerthomas1812]

Have heard Spencer in many a movie.

[@6thmichcav262]

My GGG grandfather would have carried one of those around 1864-1865. Glad he made it home!

[@Chiller11]

Of course they shot at the Washington monument. Lincoln wouldn’t shoot at his own monument now would he?

[@neilmoreland5476]

Spencer reproduction,,45-70s on my bucket list.

[@EsyuDach]

NO single shot gun changed much of anything. The lever action REALLY changed things. It was stupid of the Army to not just go for it completely, back in the 1970's and just improve its design, metallury and cartriges, instead of handicapping our soldiers for another 70 years! Sheesh, what a crock, being 2x slower for a repeat shots than need-be.

[@พิริยพงษ์สุทธิวิสัย]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@JohnMelland]

No. Thank you.

[@mikeh-p7q]

You said the inventor was like Edison. So this guy "Stole" the idea for this rifle ???

[@handlebarhammer]

You can still buy ammo at Wal-Mart? ...not here on the west coast.

[@Shiveringnudus]

I’m only 33 and I can remember seeing shotguns for sale at Walmart in California

[@handlebarhammer]

@Shiveringnudus I bought a Ruger mini 14 at K-Mart in Sacramento when I turned 18.

[@randythompson2681]

​@@ShiveringnudusWalmart still sales rifles and shotguns in NC

[@joelaichner3025]

Tramp stamp says ? Load from the Rear

[@pistolgrip44mag]

That sure the hell isn't a Ruger AR5.56 and that isn't even Range 2.

[@charliez3432]

I'm not sure about the rifle, but Carhartt sure changed everything for the poor employees that were brutally fired for not taking the jab. Carhartt employees are still under the mandate, and advertising their apparel seems a bit heartless...

[@usualsuspect5173]

Nonsense...you anti vaccine sissys crack us up.

[@milehighgimpster]

Another great Hickok video. Did he say what caliber this reproduction was in?