In 1864, Springfield Armory developed a new cartridge for the Model 1865 Spencer. This slightly tapered, heavily crimped round was dubbed the .56-.50. A nominal .50 caliber, the .56-.50 was shorter overall than the .56-.56, but had a longer case, which protected the bullet's lubrication grooves. The .56-.50's bullet weight and powder charge were identical to the .56-.56, although the Armory designed round had a slightly higher velocity. Christopher Spencer, who felt the .56-.50 had an excessive crimp, designed his own somewhat bottlenecked version of the cartridge, and called it the .56-.52. In addition, after the war a number of .56-.56 carbines were sleeved for the .56- .50/.56-.52 cartridge. Both the .56-.50 and the .56-.52 are interchangeable with each other, but theoretically not with the .56-.56. Because of these facts and the usual tolerances evident in original black powder firearms, Spencers exhibit wide variations in chamber lengths and bore diameters.

To complicate matters, commercial .56-.52 ammunition can be fired in .56-.56 guns. Neal Friedenthal of the N-SSA's 15th New Jersey Infantry reports buying 20 rounds of commercially manufactured .56-.52 cartridges (at collector's prices) about ten years ago and shooting them in his .56-.56 carbine. Although the undersized cases, manufactured around 1920, split on firing, Friedenthal recalls that the ammunition gave good accuracy in his gun. I can categorically state that any attempts to shoot 19th century military ammunition in a Spencer are doomed to failure. Priming compounds have deteriorated over the years and they will not fire. If you want to shoot a Spencer today, conversion is the way to go.

To make Spencer centerfire ammunition, .50-70 brass must be shortened. Case dimensions for an individual gun may be calculated by having a gunsmith make a sulphur chamber cast. Another alternative is to cut and try the .50-70 case a little at a time until it fits the chamber. Once proper length is established, succeeding cases can be cut to match. According to Phil Siess of S & S, cases may be trimmed on a lathe or by sliding them over a 1/2" dowel and using a tubing cutter. A sheet provided by S & S with their breech block details dimensions and provides instructions concerning trim and overall length for .56-.56 and .56-.50 guns. Overall cartridge length is critical in the Spencer, as incorrect length often leads to feeding problems.

Interior dimensions of an individual gun's barrel may be obtained by "slugging" the bore, or driving a slightly oversize piece of lead down the barrel with a brass rod. The resultant slug mirrors the bore and should be measured with a micrometer. Rapine Inc. (Dept CWN, Box 1119, East Greenville, PA 18041) makes bullet molds in three different diameters (.520, .535 and .546) and six diferent weights suitable for the Spencer. Two of the designs are "heeled" like the original .56-.56 slug, and, when loaded, expose most of their bearing surface beyond the cartridge case. For the best accuracy, bullets should be .001 to .002 over groove diameter. If you can't find a Rapine mold that throws the exact diameter bullet you want, then choose one slightly oversize. The bullets, cast from soft lead, may then be sized to the proper diameter. They should also be lubricated. The best black powder cartridge lubricant I have used is SPG±tm±.

Rapine designs differ in one notable aspect from original bullets; they are flat nosed. Original Spencer rounds were loaded with pointed bullets which rested on the center of preceeding cartridges in the gun's tubular magazine. With the volatile priming compound contained in the rim of of the Spencer's rimfire ammunition, this was not normally a problem. There is, however, at least one recorded incident of a Spencer exploding shortly after the Civil War when recoil set off a cartridge and detonated the whole magazine. Such an incident is far more serious than a similar one with the Henry, as the Spencer magazine rests alongside the shooter's head.

Because of such a possibility, heightened with centerfire primers, flat nosed bullets and flat nosed magazine followers are required for Spencers used in N-SSA competition. Along with Spencer breechblocks, S & S stocks flat nosed followers and a wide variety of original and reproduction parts. The company is a veritable one stop shop for everything needed to repair, rebuild or shoot a Spencer.

The easiest part of crafting Spencer ammunition is the assembling of the components into cartridges. Empty cases should be primed with a standard large rifle primer, using a .50-70 shellholder in a reloading press or priming tool. Centerfire Spencer cartridges, with strong solid head brass, do not hold the full 45 grain powder charge of original folded head rimfire rounds. Most shooters load 30 to 35 grains of FFG and fill any void between the base of the bullet and the powder charge with a filler like cornmeal. The original style Rapine "heeled" bullet can be hand seated but should be secured in the case with silicone adhesive or a similar cement. Spencer cartridge cases expand to fit the chamber of the gun they were fired in, and, as long as they will be fired again in the same gun, do not need to be resized. They should, however, be washed with soap and water after firing and before reloading to remove corrosive black powder residue.

For an in-depth look at Spencer centerfire cartrtidge creation, see Stephen F. Blancard's "Christopher Spencer's Horizontal Shot Tower," which appeared in the late and much lamented Black Powder Report in September of 1985. Written before the availability of the new Rapine "heeled" bullets, Blancard's case length dimensions are based on use of the old .50-70 slug. Case length will be different when bullets cast with a Rapine mold are used.

You'd be hard put to find a Civil War veteran to talk to today, but, with a little time and effort, you can make a veteran Spencer, mute for generations, speak with authority and accuracy. If for no other reason than to atavistically return to those heady days of the 1860s -- shoot that Spencer!