Re: Spencer carbine - serial numbers In Response To: Re: Spencer carbine - serial numbers John read the complete Spencer carbine thread on this message board and in there somewhere you should be able to pin down an approx. Date on your serial number and maybe some other information. LSB#: 181015PR82 Make: Armi Sport, made for Taylors & Co Inc. Model: 1860 Spencer Carbine Serial Number: M0376 Year of Manufacture: 2001 (BP Date Code) Caliber:.45 S&W Schofield Action Type: Lever Actuated, Single Action Exposed Hammer Rifle with Removable Tubular Magazine in Butt Stock Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “TAYLOR'S & CO INC. Between 1860 and 1865.Serial numbers from near 3000 to 100000. Thereafter the letter 'C' indicates 100000, for example, 'C 200' would be the serial. Jul 28, 2019 The first is a Smith carbine serial number 3891 and the second is a Spencer carbine model 1860 serial number 27195. Is there any info on dates of. Purchase Date Owner. It is absolutely forbidden to cancel or alter the serial number of the rifle. If your rifle malfunctions in any way, do not un it. 1865 SPENCER CARBINE.56/50 ITEM REF. DESCRIPTION ITEM REF.

Spencer Carbine Serial Number Dates
Spencer Rifle Serial Number Lookup

The U.S. Carbine Caliber .30

U.S. Army Ordnance
Serial Number Assignments

Serial Number Tables

Models M1, M1A1, M2
By Prime Contractor	Table A
Numerical Order	Table B
Subcontracted Receivers	Table C
Leftover Receivers used by Winchester	Table D
Transferred Receivers	Table E
Duplicated Serial Numbers	Table F
Irwin-Pedersen, Grand Rapids, & Saginaw	Table G
Inland Mfg - Engineering & Presentation Gifts	Table H
8 Million Serial Numbers	Table I
Model T3	T3
Model T4	T4

Understanding Serial Numbers - Understanding Dates of Manufacture

Dating a carbine by its serial number alone is difficult and not always accurate given the circumstances inherent with manufacturing and the logistics situation during the time the carbines were manufactured. Some people estimate a carbine's date of manufacture by adding the quantities manufactured month to month to the assigned serial number blocks. This is not an accurate means of estimating the date the carbine was finally assembled or when it passed its final inspection.

Serial number blocks were assigned by the Ordnance Department on an as needed basis, generally in response to the awarding of a contract to a given manufacturer. Think of each serial number block as a separate contract. Contracts had a completion date but there was no requirement for completing one contract before starting another. There was no requirement as to using the serial numbers in order.

A few manufacturers used some serial number blocks out of order. Some of these blocks were split up and used before or after other blocks. Some manufacturers used more than one block in the same time frame.

A few of the manufacturers used subcontractors to manufacture their receivers. One manufacturer separated out smaller blocks of serial numbers for use by subcontractors who would use these serial numbers concurrent to receivers being made by the prime contractor and/or other subcontractors assigned lower or higher serial number blocks.

The serial number was placed on the carbine receiver during the manufacturing process of the receiver, not when the carbine was finally assembled. The decision for which receivers would be used for the U.S. Carbine Models M1 or M1A1, and some of the M2's, were made well after the receiver was completed as all of these models used the same receiver.

Serial numbered receivers that failed to pass inspection were set aside as rejects if the defect(s) could not be brought up to minimum standards. As solutions to old problems were learned, some of the same receivers were brought back online and completed (i.e. Inland receivers initially rejected because of an off spec deep hole drilled for the recoil spring and guide, later recovered and altered to use a detachable main spring housing). If a receiver was scrapped and not used, its serial number may or may not have been reused.

No documentation from Ordnance, or any of the prime contractors, has been found that indicates the date and serial number of carbines as they were assembled or when they passed final inspection. Given the high volume of production, receivers were generally assembled as part of a carbine within a few months after the receiver was serial numbered.

Barrels were a critical component in the production lines. If inventory ran out it could shut down production. Four of the prime contractors did not have the ability to manufacture barrels. The ebb and flow of mass production created parts surpluses and shortages for all the prime contractors, barrels included. Shortages were common until Ordnance arranged for additional barrel manufacturers.

During the first half of production the barrels were often mounted on a receiver within 1-2 months of when the barrel was made. If a receiver has its original barrel and the barrel includes a date, it may provide a general idea of when the barrel was attached to the receiver.

As time goes on more and more carbines are having parts replaced. Parts wear out, carbines are disassembled for the sale of the parts individually. Carbines have been, and still are, rebuilt from spare parts. Many people have reconstructed many carbines with what they believe should have been on the carbine when it left the factory.

U.S. Caliber .30 Carbine
Models M1, M1A1 and M2

TABLE A
Prime Contractor

Prime Contractor	Start	End
IBM	3,651,520	4,009,999
Inland	1	5
	11	999,999
	2,912,520	3,212,519
	4,879,526	5,549,821
	6,219,689	6,449,868
	6,629,884	7,234,883
	7,369,661	8,069,661
National Postal Meter	1,450,000	1,549,999
	1,937,520	1,982,519
	4,075,010	4,432,099
..as Commercial Controls ⁽¹⁾	001	239
Quality Hardware	1,550,000	1,662,519
	1,875,040	1,937,519
	4,432,100	4,532,099

The U.S. Carbine Caliber .30

U.S. Army OrdnanceSerial Number Assignments

Serial Number Tables

Understanding Serial Numbers - Understanding Dates of Manufacture

U.S. Caliber .30 CarbineModels M1, M1A1 and M2

TABLE APrime Contractor

U.S. Army Ordnance
Serial Number Assignments

U.S. Caliber .30 Carbine
Models M1, M1A1 and M2

TABLE A
Prime Contractor

Spencer Carbine Serial Number Dates