Spencer rifle ratings and values

If you own a Spencer rifle, and would like to know its value, as well as, if you don't know, the era and model of your weapon, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services.

Our specialists will work to carry out a free appraisal of your weapon, and provide you with an accurate estimate of its value on the current market.

Then, should you wish to sell your property, we will direct you to the best possible device to obtain the optimum price.  

Spencer rifle quotation and value

Spencer rifles are sought-after items by collectors. However, price differences can be considerable, depending on the model and state of preservation of the weapon.

Now, prices for these objects can rise considerably at the auctioneers' gavel.

The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €500 to €1,800, at the moment, a consequent discrepancy but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to these weapons.

An American National Defense Spencer rifle (1870-71) sold for up to €1,800 in 2022, while it was estimated at between €400 and €600.  

Order of value ranging from a simple order to the most prestigious

History of Granger  

The Spencer rifle was developed in 1860 by American inventor Christopher Miner Spencer, who designed one of the first truly effective repeating rifles in history.

The mechanism is innovative  it works with a lever system under the trigger guard and a tubular magazine of seven cartridges located in the stock, which allows rapid firing without manual reloading after each shot.

This rifle was adopted during the Civil War by the Union, especially from 1863 onwards. It would equip the cavalry and certain elite regiments, offering a decisive advantage over coup rifles.

The weapon obviously acquired the personal support of President Lincoln. Christopher Spencer is said to have personally presented the weapon to the future President of the United States, who recognized its potential and supported its adoption in the US Army.
In its early days, the rifle proved to have a certain superiority in the field, firing 14 to 20 rounds per minute, compared with 2 or 3 for conventional rifles, making it a formidable weapon in close combat.

The weapon went into decline after the war, however, as despite its effectiveness, the gun was phased out in the 1870s, partly due to the complexity of its mechanism and the emergence of new, more powerful metal cartridge systems.

The Spencer rifle nevertheless marked a major step in the development of repeating weapons and influenced subsequent generations of military and civilian rifles.

Today, these guns are collected, as are the Granger rifles, the revolvers Colt or revolvers Smith & Wesson.

Evolution of Spencer rifle mechanisms

The Spencer rifle introduces an innovative lever-action repeating system, which ejects an empty case and chamber a new cartridge in a single fluid movement.

The weapon is also equipped with a tubular magazine housed directly in the stock, which can hold up to 7 56-56 Spencer metal cartridges, reloaded from the rear via a sliding tube.

The mechanism, while innovative, remains relatively simple and robust for its time, making it a weapon appreciated by soldiers in the field.

The later models were improved: shorter, lighter variants, such as the Spencer carbine, were developed for cavalry, with easier handling on horseback.

To speed up reloading, the Blakeslee cartridge box was added. This is a box containing pre-filled tubes of 7 cartridges, enabling soldiers to replenish the magazine more quickly.

However, although revolutionary, the system still has its drawbacks, including the low power of 56-56 cartridges, the difficulty of cleaning the mechanism in difficult field conditions, and the slower reloading than the detachable magazines to come.

The Spencer rifle has therefore come to the end of its technological life, making it a collector's item today. At the end of the 1860s, the Spencer system was superseded by weapons using more powerful cartridges and bolt-action mechanisms, better suited to ballistic evolution.

Historical focus : Spencer rifles in the American Civil War

The Spencer rifle saw decisive use in the American Civil War at the Battle of Hoover's Gap (1863). In this Tennessee battle, the 17th Union cavalry regiment, equipped with Spencer rifles, played a key role.

Fire superiority was overwhelming at the time : northern soldiers, thanks to their repeating weapons, managed to repel far more numerous southern forces, armed with Springfield-type single-shot rifles.

The rifle's fire was sustained and rapid, the Spencer allowing Union troops to fire 7 rounds before reloading, where Southerners had to reload after each shot. This advantage transformed combat dynamics.

New tactics were also born, as Northern officers found that the rate of fire offered by the Spencer enabled more offensive and less vulnerable assaults, thus contributing to a re-evaluation of shooting doctrines in the midst of war.

The Confederates, impressed by the firepower, noted in their report that this was not a battle but a harvest of multiple bullets

The use of the Spencer at Hoover's Gap therefore had an impact on military strategy, as this swift victory strengthened the weapon's position in the Union army, although it was never deployed on a large scale due to high production costs.

The Hoover's Gap episode is therefore cited as one of the earliest examples of the tactical effectiveness of modern repeating weapons in conventional conflict. 

Understanding the classification of weapons in France

The classification of weapons in France is framed by precise rules to ensure strict control over their acquisition and possession.

Weapons are divided into several categories, each governing specific levels of dangerousness and conditions of access :

-      Category A, reserved for the most dangerous weapons, are mainly weapons of war, which private individuals are not allowed to buy or hold. Article L. 312-2 of the French Internal Security Code stipulates that the possession and acquisition of these weapons is authorized solely to ensure public safety and national defense.

In addition, a Conseil d'Etat decree specifies certain exceptions and terms and conditions under which local authorities, general interest or cultural organizations may acquire category A weapons outside of public safety and national defense missions.

This decree also authorizes the possession of certain category A weapons for collection purposes, under strict conditions that must comply with France's international commitments.

-      Category B, subject to prefectoral authorization, mainly comprises handguns and certain semi-automatic long guns.

-      The Granger rifle with locks belongs to category C, which concerns weapons subject to declaration, such as shotguns or centerfire rifles.

-      Finally, category D covers weapons accessible under certain conditions, including reproductions of antique weapons or non-firearms.

The Internal Security Code also stipulates that the possession of category A, B and C weapons is prohibited for non-profit-making legal entities - with the current exception of sports associations that have received a delegation from the Minister of Sport (article L. 131-14 of the Sports Code), and associations whose statutory purpose is hunting.

Article L. 312-3 of the French Internal Security Code also specifies the offences prohibiting a natural person from holding a category A, B or C weapon.

At auctions, buyers of category B and C weapons must provide proof of identity as well as a valid hunting license, with its annual validation, or a sport shooting license.

For category B weapons, it is necessary to create an AIS (Weapons Information System) account, hold a medical certificate less than one month old issued by a psychiatrist or a doctor designated by the French Internal Security Code. The application is then validated or not after an administrative inquiry.

Auctioneers, in collaboration with approved experts, ensure compliance with regulations, guaranteeing rigorous traceability of weapons sold and their compliance with legal requirements. 

Know the value of a Spencer rifle

If you happen to own a Spencer rifle, from any period, and would like to know its value, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using our form on our website.

A member of our team of experts and licensed auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your piece, not forgetting to send you ad hoc information about it.

If you wish to sell your property, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market inclinations.