Spencer rifle ratings and values

If you own a Spencer rifle and would like to know its value, or if you don't know the period and model of your gun, our state-approved experts and auctioneers can offer you their expert appraisal services.

Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your weapon, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on today's market.

Then, if you want to sell your property, we'll point you in the right direction to get the best possible price.  

Spencer rifle ratings and values

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

Prices for these objects can now rise considerably under the auctioneer's hammer.

The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €500 to €1,800 at the moment, a substantial difference 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 €1,800 in 2022, whereas its estimate was between €400 and €600.  

Value order ranging from simple to prestigious

History of Granger rifles  

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, allowing rapid firing without manual reloading after each shot.

This rifle was adopted by the Union during the American Civil War, especially from 1863 onwards. It equipped the cavalry and certain elite regiments, offering a decisive advantage over shotguns.

The weapon clearly had 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 by the US Army.
In its early days, the rifle demonstrated 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.

Despite its effectiveness, the weapon was gradually abandoned in the 1870s, partly due to the complexity of its mechanism and the emergence of new, more powerful metal cartridge systems.

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

Today, these weapons are collected, as are the Granger riflesrifles Colt revolvers revolvers or Smith & Wesson revolvers.

Evolution of Spencer rifle mechanisms

The Spencer rifle introduces an innovative lever-action repetition 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, was relatively simple and robust for its time, making it a popular weapon with soldiers in the field.

Later models were improved: shorter, lighter variants, such as Spencer rifles, were developed for cavalry, with easier handling on horseback.

To speed up reloading, we added the Blakeslee cartridge box. 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, notably the low power of 56-56 cartridges, the difficulty of cleaning the mechanism in difficult field conditions, and the slower reloading than future detachable magazines.

The Spencer rifle thus reached 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 adapted to ballistic developments.

Historical focus: Spencer rifles in the American Civil War

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

At the time, fire superiority was overwhelming: Northern soldiers, with their repeating weapons, managed to repel far more numerous Southern forces armed with Springfield-style single-shot rifles.

Rifle fire was sustained and rapid; the Spencer allowed 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 Spencers 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 it was not a battle but a multi-bullet harvest.

The use of the Spencer at Hoover's Gap therefore had an impact on military strategy, as this early 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 weapons classification in France

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

Weapons are divided into several categories, each governing specific levels of danger 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 own. 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 conditions under which local authorities, public-interest organizations and cultural bodies can obtain category A weapons outside the scope of public safety and national defense missions.

The decree also authorizes the possession of certain category A weapons for collector's purposes, under strict conditions which 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 lock belongs to category C, which covers weapons subject to declaration, such as shotguns and centerfire rifles.

- Lastly, category D covers weapons that are accessible under certain conditions, including reproductions of antique weapons and non-firearms.

The French Internal Security Code also stipulates that the possession of weapons in categories A, B and C 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 French Sports Code), and for associations whose statutory purpose is hunting.

Article L. 312-3 of the French Internal Security Code also specifies the offences that prohibit an individual from owning a category A, B or C firearm.

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

For category B weapons, you need to create an SIA (Système d'Information sur les Armes) account, and 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 rejected after an administrative inquiry.

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

Knowing 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 certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your piece, as well as any relevant information about it.

If you want to sell your property, our specialists will also help you find alternatives to sell it at the best possible price, taking into account market trends.