Author Topic: Rogers and Spencer revolver?  (Read 4001 times)

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Offline His lordship.

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Rogers and Spencer revolver?
« on: October 07, 2010, 07:59:28 AM »
I have owned a bunch of cap and ball revolvers over the years, have an 1851 Navy, and an 1858 Remington now.  My favorite is the 1860 Colt, but I had a Pietta version of it and traded it off.  Thinking about some guns I have not owned, like a Rogers and Spencer, an 1861 Colt Navy, or an 1862 Colt Police.

I have read good reviews on the Rogers and Spencer, sure would be different.  I know it did not see combat in the Civil War, but I used to collect late war military equipment that saw limited use, so it is ok with me.  One online post said the locking screw that holds the cylinder and loading lever only needs a half turn to release, I was not so sure on having a gun that had to have screws removed every time I cleaned it, that is good news on the maintenance aspect.

Dixie Gun works has a Euroarms version, the price is not too bad.

Anyone own or have shot a Rogers and Spencer revolver, if so how did they like it?

Thanks.

Offline tacklebury

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Re: Rogers and Spencer revolver?
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2010, 01:40:36 PM »
I haven't, but there was a good article on them in this quarterly Backwoodsman Magazine.  If you have them available in your area, it's a good read on them.  8)
Tacklebury --}>>>>>    Multi-Barrel: .223 Superlite, 7mm-08 22", .30-40 Krag M158, .357 Maximum 16-1/4 HB, .45 Colt, .45-70 22" irons, 32" .45-70 Peeps, 12 Ga. 3-1/2 w/ Chokes, .410 Smooth slugger, .45 Cal Muzzy, .50 Cal Muzzy, .58 Cal Muzzy

also classics: M903 9-shot Target .22 Revolver, 1926 .410 Single, 1915 38 S&W Break top Revolver and 7-shot H&R Trapper .22 6" bbl.


Offline Hardpan Higgins

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Re: Rogers and Spencer revolver?
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2010, 12:56:48 PM »
  I am on my second Rogers & Spencer revolver (the first one went as part of a trade for a '76 Winchester--the guy who got it won a revolver match with it).  I like the way they shoot and handle in general.  The flared grip is one of the first things you notice when you pick one up, but you'll  soon get to like it.  The hammer travel seems shorter than, say a '51 Navy or similar pistol.  I've never had to replace any broken parts on either of mine and don't recall ever having had any hang ups with it.  They have nice large cutouts for their nipples, so you can use a Ted Cash snail capper on them if you wish to.  Mine both shot well using a chamberful of FFFg and a .457 round ball.  One of my shooting buddies got a cartridge conversion cylinder for his and likes it very well.  Hope this is of some help; I think if you try one, you'll like it.

Regards,

Hardpan Higgins

Offline coyotejoe

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Re: Rogers and Spencer revolver?
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2010, 01:02:15 PM »
Had one many moons ago and was not sorry to part with it. The grip shape is atrocious, the extra tall hammer spur is very awkward and having the loading lever attached to the cylinder base pin is a poor idea. If you seat very tight balls, and you should, the base pin will bend down away from the barrel. There are very good reasons why they were never issued and why no more were ever produced. But they do look neat.
The story of David & Goliath only demonstrates the superiority of ballistic projectiles over hand weapons, poor old Goliath never had a chance.

Offline His lordship.

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Re: Rogers and Spencer revolver?
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2010, 07:58:39 AM »
I read on one online website that although the 5,000 of them that were ordered were not issued officially, the writer said that 800 did go out the door and he knows of a collector that has one that had original paperwork for it that showed at least one solder carried it.  Interesting. :)

Not sure if I will go with one yet, I also wanted a Starr revolver, neat looking, but heard lots of bad things about the hammer being prohibited from going down far enough to reliably strike the caps, the gun needs to be modified by a gunsmith to be reliable.  Looks like another Colt, not sure on what to get next though.

Offline Range Rider

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Re: Rogers and Spencer revolver?
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2010, 09:51:58 AM »







The Rogers and Spencer is the best of the Cap and Ball handguns.  The ROA was copied from the improvments made to the R&S.  The loading lever keeper screw for reomoving the rammer arm for cleaning, the .457 caliber, the chamfered chambers, the deflecting flange and gas escape port which allows you to shoot fore ever with out the cylinder freeze you get with a Colt.  The high hammer spur is no more of a problem than any other 6 guns used for horse back shooting with a gloved hand.  The Euro- Arms R&S Target version will keep up with an ROA.  They will handle 40/3F or 35/3F and a conical. These guns were used as a prototype when Engineers  were designing the ROA according to the ROA history from Ruger.  The queston of it being used in the Civil War is open to debate.  The fact that they were called back into use by the USMC during the Moro wars due to the failure of their .38 Ctg guns to stop these warriors put them in combat after the advent of Ctgs.  I shoot many different C&P hand guns, the R&S is a favorite.

RR
 
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Offline coyotejoe

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Re: Rogers and Spencer revolver?
« Reply #6 on: October 17, 2010, 01:20:06 PM »
[quote author=Range Rider

  The fact that they were called back into use by the USMC during the Moro wars due to the failure of their .38 Ctg guns to stop these warriors put them in combat after the advent of Ctgs. 

RR
 
[/quote]


Where on earth did you come up with that BS? ::)
The story of David & Goliath only demonstrates the superiority of ballistic projectiles over hand weapons, poor old Goliath never had a chance.

Offline BobJ

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Re: Rogers and Spencer revolver?
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2010, 08:22:21 AM »
Really interesting discussion, would like to know more. Read a report from Gen. Pershing's troops of on Moro attacker with 32 .30-40 Krag wounds being felled by a .45 Colt round. It is well known that the Army shipped .45 Colt single actions over when the .38 failed.

My grandfather fought 1898-1902 in PI. He wore woolen cavalry uniforms that rotted off, their mules died in the tropic rains, they were armed with .45-70 rolling blocks that he absolutely hated. Their shoulders were black and blue, first shots in morning were extremely painful until numbed, clouds of white smoke. Spanish had 7mm Mausers, couldn't tell where they were shooting from. Everyone wore captured Spanish khaki uniforms, all several sizes too small. Interesting how incredibly ill-prepared and backwards our military forces were at that time.

Gramps loved the Philippines, stayed until WWII, spent the war in Santo Thomas prison camp. Anyway, lots of history there. And, he hated the .38 revolver, said it was about worthless.

If you have more documentation on the C&B revolver being used back around the 1906 period, I would be very interested.

Sorry, to hijack the thread a little, I have not seen any figures relating to C&B revolver usage in wartime in general. Modern handguns are sidearms; C&B revolvers were apparently primary weapons for Civil War cavalry units, and were probably devastatingly effective. Elmer Keith reported 60+ y.o. Civil War veterans were incredibly proficient on horseback with their revolvers. Reason for the sidetrack, a friend, a Marine, says the 45 auto has accounted for more casualties than any other handgun; I say the C&B revolver has, and I can count the number of 45 auto casualties in modern warfare on my fingers. any thoughts?

Anyway, I am fascinated by this Rogers & Spencer thread, would like more info.

Offline Range Rider

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Re: Rogers and Spencer revolver?
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2010, 12:11:23 PM »
There were most likely a few more of these guns than the 5,000 that are recorded.  The history of this gun and its use is not well known.  It is thought by collectors and history buffs who have studied this firearm that maybe as many as 500 saw service during the Civil War.  The Lambert Rogers & Spencer is a well documented R&S that saw 2 years of service during the Civil War.  These guns were in time sold off to Bannerman & Sons in NY. The little known fact that the R&S made its way to the Moro wars via the USMC is also of interest to collectors of these handguns.  As noted by some of the post on this subject most Cap & Ball shooters know very little about this outstanding handgun.  Take some time and research the R&S its quite a story.

RR
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Offline coyotejoe

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Re: Rogers and Spencer revolver?
« Reply #9 on: October 20, 2010, 06:50:24 AM »
Although there are no exact dates for the start of the Moro uprising and it seems it never really ended, it generally is listed as being from 1902-1913. Bannerman bought the entire stock of Rogers & Spencer revolvers from the government in 1901 at 25 cents each.
The story of David & Goliath only demonstrates the superiority of ballistic projectiles over hand weapons, poor old Goliath never had a chance.

Offline Cornbelt

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Re: Rogers and Spencer revolver?
« Reply #10 on: October 29, 2010, 04:58:05 AM »
   That means the government made a profit of twenty-five cents. Each!