From the Vault: Civil War Spencer Model 1860 Carbine

Brownells Gun Techs™ Caleb and Steve loaded up their minivan and headed to Rock Island Auction Company where they found a Spencer Model 1860 Carbine. The Spencer was the first mass-produced, metallic cartridge firing, repeating rifle. It's chambered for the .56-56 Spencer rimfire cartridge, 7 of which could be loaded into the magazine tube that runs through the buttstock. With a 350-grain bullet loping along at 1,200 fps, the Model 1860's adjustable rear sight is optimistically graduated out to 800 yards. About 200,000 1860 Spencers of all types were built, 50,000 of which were carbines. The Spencer was particularly prized by cavalrymen. Rock Island's gun still has the important saddle ring.... because if there's anything worse than having to reload a muzzleloader in the middle of a battle while riding a horse, it's dropping your weapon in the middle of the battle! Caleb shows us how to load and fire the Model 1860. Rock Island's Spencer carbine is in excellent condition, down to the still-vibrant casehardening colors on the breech block. Movie trivia: a Spencer carbine figures prominently in "Unforgiven," with Clint Eastwood and Mogan Freeman.