They generally make a poor Schuetzen rifle in the original 56cal rimfire cartridges and are difficult to reload.

Great as a 'fun' rifle.

Everything you ever wanted to know and more:

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I've got a reproduction in 44-40 and love it. Wityh a Blakelee Box it is more fun than Twins!

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Makes you want to watch "Unforgiven" all over again!

Historical note:  The M-1865 was the primary cav carbine after the war for several years.  Some units of the 9th Cav (Buffalo Soldiers) got some 50-70 Sharps conversions by Sept. 1871 and other units got a few 1868 50-70 trapdoors to evaluate but Spencers remained primary for quite a while.  The Nolan (Lost Nxxxxx) Expedition disaster of 1876 was with a black patrol from Fort Concho armed with '65 models.  About 25 years ago, a fellow found two relic Spencers stuffed under a rock ledge near Tahoka Texas apparently abandoned by some of these soldiers who were dieing of thirst.   
I recently bought a CF breech block and that "justified" getting a Spencer to fit it.  Haven't tried it out yet.
James

Hi All !!!   

First, I would like to thank everybody for their reply to my post !!!

I spoke with the seller last night and decided not to buy his Rifle !!!  It seem's that it would require too much work to return it to an acceptable condition...

I don't know why I even considered another purchase when I look at my gun cabinet with all those I don't/can't shoot anymore !!!

Thank's Again !!!

Ed.....

George,
Good to hear from you.  I have been shooting my '63 Sharps conversion off and on for several years.  From reading Arming and Equipping the U. S. Cavalry by Farrington, an excellent reference book, I have found that a big push to arm the cavalry regiments with the Sharps conversions with 8 cav regiments heavily supplied with Sharps 50-70's but not the 4th and 9th who labored on with the older Spencers in early 1871.  The latter two regiments not reported with Sharps in early 1872 but all ten regiments had them in early 1873.  By fall 1871 Springfield M1870's and Remington M1870's as well as the M1870 Sharps appeared with select troops and later the Ward-Burton all on a trial basis.  Throughout this evaluation phase the Spencer was not mentioned, perhaps because the decision had already been made to phase them out but the numbers of the newer weapons issued would not have fully supplied the units.  Why Nolan was armed with Spencers in 1877, I do not know as the Federals had shown no prejudice against the colored 9th cav in arms. 
By 1874 when the hated carpetbagger rule had ended in Texas, the states had Sharps conversions sold to them as surplus and the newly reorganized Texas Rangers were issued 50-70 Sharps conversions which they were required to buy with their first paychecks which at the time were almost worthless Texas paper promissory notes.  Unfortunately, serial numbers are not in the Archives.
James