Spencer Buffalo Rifle (AL6948)

This Spencer Civil War carbine was altered to "Buffalo Rifle" sporting configuration after the war. The sling bar and ring were neatly removed and a heavy 29" octagon barrel was added. The barrel is very lightly marked in front of the rear sight. The name on the top line ends in "...OW" and below that is "MARYSVILLE, CAL". Benjamin B. Bigelow (1824 - 1888) operated as a gunsmith in Rochester, NY from 1845-1849 and 1852-1857, in San Francisco from 1850-1851, and Marysville, CA from 1858 to 1888, the period when this Spencer was altered. Bigelow is known for percussion and repeating rifles. The caliber of this rifle is most likely 56-50 Spencer, which is a 50 caliber rimfire cartridge. The barrel which measures 1" across the flats has a good bore with strong rifling and firing wear. All the metal has a mottled brown-gray patina with areas of light freckling. The barrel has a blade front sight and custom rocky mountain style 5" long rear sight (elevator absent) with a decorative forward finial. The magazine tube is present. The well-used butt stock is good with worn checkering, chipped toe, stable age cracks on the right especially at the magazine tube, old wood loss that exposes the magazine tube just to the left of the comb, and an old crack that extends in both directions at the bottom of the wood loss. The forearm has worn checkering and a small chip at the left front where it joins the barrel. The action functions correctly. It's obvious that this was a well-used working rifle. This California-altered Spencer buffalo rifle would be perfect in any Western collection.