doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Question on Spencer shotgun

Kutter, I tried to do what you suggested, but I got no movement in the slide. I think the front trigger is in the cocked position.

Glenn, I appreciate that you would take yours apart. Is yours a Bannerman made [later gun] ? By the way, here is a good tutorial on disassembly of the Spencer on Firearms Talk. https://www.firearmstalk.com/threads/1886-spencer-shotgun-extractor.147523/ It is a gun from a bit later period , but most details are similar to my No. 822. I think the front trigger is in the cocked position on mine, for whatever that is worth. Daryl

Daryl,

I think I understand the procedure that you hold the front trigger and THEN pull the rear trigger to lower the hammer.

Parabola, yes, that is right.

Daryl:

No problem taking it apart. It is the putting together thing that always stumps me. The gun needed a good cleaning anyway. It is a genuine F. Bannerman Model 1890 with a serial number in the 8000s.

I see nothing that obviously would cause the problem you have. At the end of the rearward stroke of the slide the hammer should cock (with the forward trigger moving forward) and the block released to move to its upper position. At the very end of the stroke the hammer/trigger should move back under spring tension a bit even if the hammer is cocked.

When the block snaps up it brings the shell to be loaded up into line with the bore. The forward movement of the slide pulls the shell into the chamber and, at the very end of the forward stroke, cams the block down and into battery. It may be that the little pivoting lug that snaps behind the shell to pull it forward is hanging up some way. That is the only thing happening at that part of the cycle that, as I see it, could impair the forward movement of the slide. Unfortunately, this lug is inside the loading chamber of the block when the slide is back and therefor hidden from mortal eyes.

There should be no effort required to start the slide forward, as all it is doing is pulling the shell forward.

I would put a little force on the slide to see if it can be coaxed to move forward. There are no delicate parts to be damaged excepting the lug mentioned, and even that is fairly sturdy. Failing that it would seem the action has to come apart.

Glenn

The front trigger is part of the hammer, just on the other end of the pivot point. Pushing this 'trigger' forward is the same action as pulling a convention hammer back with your thumb.

This morning I was finally ready to disassemble the Spencer. I put it on my workbench but had one more idea when I saw some brass punches.

I decided to take a brass punch and try to tap the slide forward. With very light tapping with a plastic hammer, the slide began to move forward. I think the whole problem was lack of lubrication. The inside of the gun was very clean, but very dry. I have been lightly oiling the parts I can see and the mechanism is loosening up. It's not all the way there, but I think with some more gentle movement of the slide, the Spencer might be back in business. Thanks for your thoughts and help, I'm so glad I didn't have to take it apart. Daryl

Great news!