Civil War M1860 Spencer Carbine SOLD

M1860 Spencer Repeating Carbine, caliber .52, as issued to Union Cavalry forces as early as 1863. These weapons, called the kind "you could load on Sunday and shoot all week" were extremely popular in the field. The Spencer proved itself to be very reliable under combat conditions with a sustainable rate-of-fire in excess of 20 rounds per minute. Compared to standard muzzle-loaders, with a rate of fire of 2–3 rounds per minute, this represented a significant tactical advantage. Popularized in recent years in the movie "The Unforgiven," which incorrectly calls the carbine a "rifle," these weapons are always key items in any Civil War firearm collection. This particular weapon is very nice in appearance and has clearly been cleaned (wood and metal) at some point in time. All actions function flawlessly and the bore condition is fine. The magazine tube is original to the weapon.