3245

Desirable A. J Plate San Francisco Cal. Marked Spencer Action Custom Hunting Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:1,300.00 USD Estimated At:2,500.00 - 3,750.00 USD
Desirable A. J Plate San Francisco Cal. Marked Spencer Action Custom Hunting Rifle
This is a highly desirable example of a San Francisco gunsmith's custom modified Civil War Spencer Carbine to a heavy barrel hunting rifle. The top of the barrel is stamped with the gun-maker's name and address: "A. J. PLATE/SAN FRANCISCO CAL". The rifle has a heavy, full-octagon barrel with dovetailed, nickel silver, "Rocky Mountain" front sight and sporting style rear sight. The barrel has a brown finish. The barrel has an iron ramrod thimble that supports a wooden cleaning rod with pewter tip. The key-fastened walnut forearm has oval, nickel-silver escutcheons and a pewter tip. The rifle has the original military stock with sling bar and ring and lower sling swivel. The receiver, hammer, loading lever and buttplate have a casehardened finish. The top of the receiver is roll-stamped: "SPENCER REPEATING/RIFLE CO. BOSTON. MASS./PAT'D MARCH 6 1860". The serial number, "34758" is located on the receiver tang. An adjustment screw is located on the lower tang behind the trigger. Several western gunsmiths converted surplus Spencer rifles and carbines to civilian sporting arms. An A.J. Plate heavy barrel Spencer Carbine conversion is illustrated on page 149 of "SPENCER REPEATING FIREARMS" by Roy M. Marcot.
BBL: 30 1/2 inch
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 50
Finish: brown
Grips:
Serial Number: 34758


Very good. The barrel retains most of the period custom plum-brown finish. The edges are sharp and the barrel markings are clear and deep. The case colors on the receiver, hammer, lever and buttplate have faded to a mottled silver patina with some scattered age discoloration. The receiver marks were polished when the rifle was altered and are partially legible. The oil-finished stock and forearm are in very good overall condition with minimal handling marks. This is a high quality, professionally executed, A.J. Plate conversion of a Spencer Civil War Carbine to a heavy barrel sporting rifle.