Working the First Pump Shotgun: The Spencer Slide-Action

The Spencer slide-action shotguns’or as we commonly call them, "pump-action" shotguns’were introduced in 1882, and became America’s first successful slide-action repeating shotguns. This unique repeater was designed by the famous Christopher Spencer, the same Spencer who earlier pioneered a highly successful repeating rifle and carbine that were used extensively by the Union during the Civil War, with more than 100,000 produced for that conflict.

Spencer’s pump shotgun was available in 10- and 12-gauge, although the 12-gauge is more commonly encountered today. There were also a few take-down versions of the Spencer shotgun produced, although these are very scarce and seldom encountered. Spencer’s unusual-looking gun made use of what appear to be two triggers, with the conventional trigger located at the rear of the guard and another located closer to the front of the guard.

That front "trigger" was actually the bottom of the hammer, and it was an early form of decocking mechanism as well as a cocking indicator. The gun was equipped with a rebounding firing pin so it could be more safely carried with around in the chamber. With the hammer in the lowered position, by pushing forward on the front "trigger" the hammer could be quickly cocked for firing.

The Spencer used the vertical, reciprocating action of its massive breech block to perform the multiple functions of loading tray, cartridge carrier, breech bolt, and ejection tray. In action, the Spencer is seemingly a very busy gun; when the slide is oper- Top of page: America’s first successful pump shotgun was the Spencer, this one with a 32-inch full-choked barrel. The gun appears to have two triggers, but the forward "trigger" is actually a decocker and cocking indicator. Author photos.

That’s the externally mounted extractor. ated, the bolt first drops down through the bottom, then pops up through the top of the action, before settling back to the center. From examining the cutaway drawings, you’ll see that the Spencer is actually quite simple, and like all of Spencer’s weapon designs, quite robust. Spencer manufactured these shotguns at his Windsor, Connecticut, factory until 1889, when financial troubles caused him to mortgage his prop-

When the slide is moved forward, the front of the action-barmounted extractor pushes the shell into the chamber and the bolt is cammed back down into battery. erty to the Pratt & Whitney Company. Further difficulties followed, and when he was unable to make mortgage payments, Pratt & Whitney foreclosed on the property.

All of Spencer’s machinery, his patents, and roughly 300 guns were subsequently sold to Francis Bannerman & Sons of New York City, who continued to manufacture and sell Spencer guns as the Spencer-Bannerman up until about 1907. Takedown Procedure 1) Always check to be very sure the weapon is unloaded before you attempt to handle, or attempt to disassemble any firearm. Be certain the weapon is pointing in a direction where no one would be harmed in the event of an accidental discharge.

In the case of the Spencer, you can tell quickly if the hammer is cocked by the position of the "front trigger" or decocker, which is actually an extension of the hammer that can be used to decock the weapon. If the decocker trigger is all the way forward in the trigger guard, that indicates that the hammer is cocked. The hammer can be safely lowered by holding forward on the decocker trigger and then pulling the rear trigger.

Use care to allow the decocker trigger to move slowly rearward; in this way, you can safely lower the hammer. Now operate the slide handle by moving it all the way to the rear. The breech block will remain in the up position. Turn the gun over and reach into the lower portion of the receiver, and use your thumb to depress the inside of the shell catch. This will release any cartridges in the magazine and the spring pressure from the magazine spring will cause them to slide out the bottom of the action.

To be sure that a previous cartridge did not get into the shell-carrier part of the breech block, operate the slide handle all the way forward and then immediately all the way to the rear once again. If a cartridge is present in the breech block, it will now be ejected. 2) First remove the buttstock. Unscrew and remove the tang screw (#11) located at the top of the receiver tang, and then remove the buttstock screw (#10, a wood screw) from the rear of the lower tang.

The buttstock (#7) can now be pulled straight back and off to the rear. The buttplate (#8) can be removed from the stock by first unscrewing the two buttplate screws (#9). 3) Remove the trigger guard and the mainspring. Unscrew and remove the trigger-guard screw (#50) located at

the rear of the triggerguard (#49). The trigger guard will now slide forward about 1/4 inch and can be removed from the lower tang. Loosen the strain screw (#13) and grab a pair of spreader-type pliers. Reach inside the rear of the receiver and get the pliers in between the inside top of the receiver (#1) and the mainspring (#12). Use the pliers to compress the mainspring far enough so you can pivot the breechblock stirrup (#45) forward to disengage it from the mainspring.

The mainspring is now carefully pulled out to the rear. As you remove the spring, note its relationship to the hammer stirrup (#43) for reassembly later. 4) Remove the trigger-group by holding the trigger to the rear, and unscrewing and removing the lowertang screw (#29) located on the lowerleft side of the receiver in line with the decocker/trigger. Then remove the other lower tang screw (#30). This is the only screw located on the receiver top.

The lower-tang assembly (#28) can now be pulled straight down out through the bottom of the receiver. At this point, the hammer (#37) is loose, and can be lifted up out of its place in the lower tang. The triggerspring screw (#36) can now be unscrewed from the bottom of the lower tang and the trigger spring (#35) is lifted up out of the lower tang.

Drive Spencer Slide-Action Shotgun 1 Receiver 2 Barrel 3 Breech Block 4 Breech Block Pivot Screw 5 Trigger Guard 6 Trigger Guard Screw 7 Buttstock 8 Buttplate 9 Buttplate Screw 10 Buttstock Screw 11 Tang Screw 12 Mainspring 13 Strain Screw 14 Action Slide Plate, left out the trigger pin (#34) from the side of the lower tang and lift the trigger (#33) out. 5) To remove the magazine, unscrew and remove the magazine-cap screw (#25), which is located at the bottomfront of the magazine tube (#23).

Pull the magazine tube down just a little at the front end, and then slide it forward and out of the action.

The mag- 15 Action Slide Plate, right 16 Action Slide Plate Screw 17 Action Slide 18 Extractor 19 Extractor Pin 20 Extractor Pawl 21 Extractor Pawl Spring 22 Extractor Pawl Pin 23 Magazine Tube 24 Magazine Cap 25 Magazine Cap Screw 26 Magazine Follower 27 Magazine Spring 28 Lower Tang 29 Lower Tang Screw, side 30 Lower Tang Screw, top 31 Shell Catch 32 Shell Catch Screw 33 Trigger 34 Trigger Pin 35 Trigger Spring 36 Trigger Spring Screw 37 Hammer 38 Action Cam 39 Action Cam Spring 40 Firing Pin 41 Firing Pin Spring 42 Firing Pin Retainer Pin 43 Hammer Stirrup 44 Hammer Stirrup Pin 45 Breech Block Stirrup 46 Breech Block Stirrup Pin 47 Forearm 48 Action Slide Cap 49 Trigger Guard 50 Trigger Guard Screw azine spring (#27) and magazine follower (#26) will come out with the tube.

Be sure to note their relationship for later reassembly. The magazine cap (#24) on most guns is retained by across pin, but it is not normally necessary to remove the magazine cap. 6) The action slide and breech block are removed by unscrewing and re-

The numbers refer to the table on the previous page. moving the four action-slide-plate screws (#16). There are two of these screws on either side of the receiver. Then slide the action-slide plate (#15, right) and action-slide plate (#14, left) out toward the front of the receiver. Notice that these parts are made as uniquely left and right; they will only fit back in where they came out.

When you have the action-slide I plates removed, lift up the left-sidearm at the rear of the action slide (#17) to allow it to clear the breech-block cam slot, then pull the action slide forward and out the front of the receiver. Unscrew and remove the shellcatch screw (#32) from the right side of the receiver, and then lift the shell catch (#31) off the receiver side.

Unscrew and remove the breech-block 003inch chrome metal shim bonded to the barrel lug to eliminate wear between the joint pin and barrel lug. pivot screw (#4) from the left-rear side of the receiver. The breech block (#3) can now be tilted down and pulled forward and out of the receiver. 7) The firing pin (#40) can be removed by first driving out the firing-pin retainer pin (#42, not illustrated) from the side of the breech block.

The firing pin and its spring (#41) are pulled out through the rear of the breech block. That completes the disassembly of the Spencer slide-action shotgun. You simply reverse the procedure to reassemble the weapon. Brownells Accu-Weld is more likely to penetrate the release agent than epoxy-based glass bedding would, particularly under pressure. After several hours of setting time, with a little extra heat applied to the parts, the bases were removed, leaving a most perfect fit.

The chrome shim stock cut exactly to size left a most attractive surface, and I could see the two surfaces had a microscopic fit. Conclusion This method of applying metal-lined bushings and shims produces joints and contact surfaces of extremely close tolerances. The metal plating or shimming wears well and resists oil and moisture damage. From an aesthetic point of view, the finished job is very appealing too. I know I’ll find other uses for this technique, and perhaps you will, too.