.52 caliber (56-56 Spencer). 29" double keyed heavy octagonal barrel. SN: 51569. Browned and color casehardened finish, iron mountings, smooth walnut stock with raised cheek rest and Hawken style crescent buttplate and smooth forend. Standard 3-line Spencer markings on top of receiver. Heavy barrel measures 1" across the flats at the muzzle is marked "S. HAWKEN ST. LOUIS". Dovetailed fixed buckhorn rear sight, dovetailed German silver blade front sight, double barrel wedges secure the forend with iron escutcheons and an iron nose cap. Sling bar and ring removed, with mounting plate in place. Model 1860 magazine follower tube with smooth base plate. It is almost certain that these Hawken marked Spencer plains rifles we really assembled by J.P. Gemmer, after Gemmer bought Samuel Hawken's shop circa 1862. Gemmer likely utilized left over parts in the shop inventory to create these scarce rifles. A solid and scarce example of a very desirable plains rifle built from a Spencer carbine action and marked by the famous Hawken gun shop in St. Louis.