Lindcott Armory Rifle · Obsolete / Non-standard
.56-56 Spencer
The original Spencer cartridge — the first repeating rifle cartridge adopted by the US military.
- Caliber
- 0.55″ · 13.97 mm
- Introduced
- 1860
- Case
- Rimfire
- Primary use
- Military, Hunting
- Status
- Obsolete
- Introduced
- 1860
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Christopher Miner Spencer
- Manufacturer
- Spencer Repeating Rifle Company
- Standard
- Obsolete / Non-standard
- Status
- Obsolete
- Availability
- Collector Only
- Case capacity
- 55 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:36
- Primer
- Rimfire
- Case type
- Rimfire
- Max pressure
- 14,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 300 yd
- Max range
- 600 yd
- Recoil
- 10–16 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
Wikipedia · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 13.97 | 0.550 | ~ |
| Neck ⌀ | 14.22 | 0.560 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Shoulder angle | n/a | ||
| Base ⌀ | 14.22 | 0.560 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 16.38 | 0.645 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | — | — | |
| Neck length | n/a | ||
| Case length | 22.23 | 0.875 | · |
| Overall length | 39.24 | 1.545 | · |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .56-56 Spencer is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 1 active load across 1 brand. Top 15 shown · see all 19 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Arms | Lead RN Reproduction | 350 | Lead RN | 1,150 | 1,028 | — |
| Graf | Standard | 350 | Lead Round Nose | 1,200 | 1,119 | — |
| Norma | Classic | 350 | Lead Round Nose | 1,200 | 1,119 | — |
| PPU | Standard | 350 | Lead Round Nose | 1,200 | 1,119 | — |
| Kynoch | Classic | 350 | Lead Round Nose | 1,200 | 1,119 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom | 350 | Lead Round Nose | 1,200 | 1,119 | — |
| RWS | Classic | 350 | Lead Round Nose | 1,200 | 1,119 | — |
| Winchester | Standard | 350 | LRN | 1,200 | 1,119 | — |
| Various | Standard | 350 | Flat | 1,200 | 1,119 | — |
| Eley | Sport | 350 | Lead Round Nose | 1,200 | 1,119 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | Standard | 350 | Lead Round Nose | 1,200 | 1,119 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Cowboy | 350 | Lead Flat Nose | 1,175 | 1,073 | — |
| Spencer Repeating Rifle Co. | Lead RN Original | 350 | Lead RN | 1,150 | 1,028 | — |
| Peters | Lead RN | 350 | Lead RN | 1,150 | 1,028 | — |
| Winchester | Lead RN | 350 | Lead RN | 1,150 | 1,028 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Firearms chambered in .56-56 Spencer
5 models in the database chamber .56-56 Spencer. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Christopher Spencer patented his repeating rifle and cartridge in 1860. The .56-56 was the original chambering: a straight-walled rimfire case with a 350–360 grain bullet. The Union Army purchased over 200,000 Spencer carbines and rifles during the Civil War — the largest military adoption of a repeating arm in history to that point. President Lincoln personally test-fired a Spencer rifle on the White House lawn in 1863 before authorizing mass procurement. The 7-round tube magazine fed through the buttstock; a skilled trooper could fire 14–20 rounds per minute using pre-loaded tubes from a Blakeslee cartridge box. Confederate forces were so outgunned at the Battle of Hoover's Gap (1863) that they reportedly believed they faced an entire division. The .56-56 was superseded by the slightly more powerful .56-50 Spencer as the war progressed. Both became obsolete with the adoption of centerfire cartridges in the late 1860s.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .56-56 Spencer use?
- .56-56 Spencer typically uses a 1:36 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .56-56 Spencer?
- .56-56 Spencer uses a 0.55″ (13.97 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .56-56 Spencer still in production?
- .56-56 Spencer is obsolete; typical availability is collector only.
- What is .56-56 Spencer used for?
- .56-56 Spencer is primarily used for military, hunting.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 1 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →