[j3hill]

Not asking what is worth. It is junk. Found it in the corner of my dads garage. But I will find a way to shoot it once!
Just curious about the what looks like a contract with F Bannerman and the relationship there. Did Spencer sell the pat.? Whats up with this.

 

[hrf]

Just curious about the what looks like a contract with F Bannerman and the relationship there. Did Spencer sell the pat.? Whats up with this.

Yes, Bannerman's bought the patents ca 1890 and continued mfg. until ca 1907.

 

[V509]

Way cool! Not junk for sure. Make sure you use black powder shells when you shoot it

 

[Hawg]

Not junk in my book either.

 

[BillM]

Not junk. Heck---I've got a Remington 870 that looks rougher than that, and it
shoots just fine.
Is it marked as to chamber length? You are in the era where it could be 2.5"
instead of 2.75". Definitely black powder only!

 

[j3hill]

Not junk. Heck---I've got a Remington 870 that looks rougher than that, and it
shoots just fine.
Is it marked as to chamber length? You are in the era where it could be 2.5"
instead of 2.75". Definitely black powder only!

Dont know. No other markings at all... But I will be putting a 7 1/2 winchester thru it and we will see what happens the thing is heavier than a 870 or 1200 Winchester. If it blows, I will part it out on **. I shoot them I dont collect them or hang them on the wall. Never sold one either..I keep 'em...everything I have..all 250 have at least one round down range ...Except for my matched pair of Pythons or 66-1 of course. They do not get fired.

 

[Anchor Clanker]

The following information comes from "The Breech Loading Shotgun in America 1865 to 1940" written by Joseph T. Vorisek.
SPENCER GUN COMPANY. Gun maker located in Windsor,CA from 1868 to 1880. They were the manufacturers of the first successful pump action shotgun in the United Satates. The company was sold to Francis Bannerman & Company id 1889 and he seems to have continued to make the shotguns until about 1902. In addition to shotguns made by Spencer in Windsor,Ct and Bannerman in Brooklyn,NY it also appears a few were assembled by the English firm of Charles Lancaster between 1886 and 1888.
There is a serial number-year made table in the reference listing serials numbers starting with 001 in 1864 and ending with 21,000 in 1902. Give us the serial num,ber and we can tell you the year the gun was made and maybe by who. The serial number should be located some where on the receiver/frame. The gun was made in 12 gauge, chambered for a 2 1/2 inch shell with 26,29, 50 or 32 inch Twist or Damascus barrels. Because of this chambering and barrel construction, I have to recommend that you not attempt to shoot the gun but if you insist, please have it checked out by a good and competent shotgun gun smith before you do. And then use only appropriate ammunition which would be black powder and lead shot loaded shells. I would hate to see you injured and a old and valuable antique destroyed.

 

[Bindernut]

Way cool! Not junk for sure. Make sure you use black powder shells when you shoot it

Yup, a nice old shotgun and the value might surprise you. I've seen similar ones sell for $350-400 in years past. If you are familiar with that auction site, you will notice that intact examples of the Bannerman Spencers in comparable are bringing at least that much these days too. A pile of parts will only bring a fraction of that...

And please heed the warnings to only shoot 2.5" black powder shells in it!!!
If you see that nice ribboned rust pattern on the barrel, that is called damascus steel. It may or may not withstand the pressure levels caused by shooting smokeless powder loads.
If you fire a 2-3/4" shell in it, even a mild target load, the chamber is too short and you WILL burst the barrel and probably injure yourself.
If you do insist on taking it to the range, have a friend prepared to call the EMTs.

 

[Anchor Clanker]

Opps, made a mistake. That should have been Windsor.MA. not California. If the gun has Bannerman markings on it, it was made between 1889 and 1902.

 

[Hawg]

I wouldn't put a 2 3/4 smokeless load thru it. I'd cut the case down to 2 1/2 and reload it with bp.

 

[Two Flints]

Hi,

If you visit the Spencer Shooting Society (SSS) and do a search of Spencer Shotguns you will find quite a few threads dealing with the Spencer Shotgun. I own two of them and they are both shooters.

My web site is located at this link: http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?board=35.0

Biggest concern is the Damascus barrel which may not be strong after all these years . . . correct size 2 5/8" blackpowder shotgun shells are correct for the Spencer Shotgun, but 2 1/2" will also work with it.

Two Flints