Rodger & Spencer Cap & Ball revolver

[Baja Oro]

So I'm thinking about adding this revolver to my collection; and I did a history check on it, unfortunately finding out it doesn't have much of a history. Or does it??

Based of what I have read 5000 were ordered for the us army and delivered late 1865. All of which were stored in new york till 1901, and then sold off for like 50 cents. Not a honorable history I suppose, but what I would like to know is what about the others the 800 civilian sold firearms,

Obviously the civilian ones being put into the market in 1865 would have seen hard pressed use especially in the west? Does anyone know of any history of these small civilian sales of the revolvers that were put into circulation?

 

[pohill]

Rumor has it that a handful made it to the Civil War but there's not much proof.
They are, in my opinion, one of the best original cap and ball revolvers made. I almost had an original last summer but I waited too long. Even the repros seem well made.

 

[Baja Oro]

Thanks for the reply; ya I love Cap & Ball revolvers but am also a big history buff especially on revolvers like this, to know it may have been used during the 1800's in both the civil war and the western frontier adds to my increased interest in it.

It would only make sense that at least a handful did make it into circulation, to think every single one of them sat in a box until 1901 doesn't seem plausible to me; of course we know some did but there are 800 unaccounted for that had to have gone through circulation pre 1900's.

What was the standard grains for this revolver?

 

[BHP FAN]

I'd use a 30 gr. 3F Goex charge, with a .454 round ball. I had one of the reproductions, ended up trading for a stainless Remington. There are elements of the Rodgers and Spencer and of the Whitney/Spiller and Burr in the Ruger Old Army. Great guns.

 

[faustopph]

I have 2 of the Euroarms Rogers and Spencer revolvers, one is the standard model with the fixed sights and one with adjustable sights.
These are my favorite revolvers,but I wish they held more powder. The frame is more robust than the 1858 Remington and the cylinder is bigger around than the cylinders on my remingtons.

 

[sltm1]

I have a Euroarms model and an original, both shooters. The Euroarms is my favorite bp gun and the original is (I think), one of the 800 unaccounted for guns, no martial stamps on it anywhere. Not sure of it's history, but it was definitely, "rode hard and put away wet", again, it still works flawlessly, the top one ids the original.

 

[unspellable]

Re: loads

I had a repro. Couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with lite loads. When I quit being stingy with the powder the groups tightened up nicely. Of course every gun is a rule onto itself.

Many of the originals, particularly the military surplus ones, found their way to the UK where they were in favour for target shooting and often had adjustable sights added.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

I like my Euroarms R&S a lot. It is my favorite percussion revolver.