While working at Roper's Arms Company, he would meet Charles E. Billings, who would be instrumental in reviving Spencer's businesses.

[3][12][11] Spencer's manufacturing would again be in financial trouble and debt, which forced him to sell the shotgun's patents to Francis Bannerman in 1885.

However, Winchester cited that they had found pump-action design patents from England, dated prior to 1882, as well as another one from France, which caused the judge to toss out Bannerman's lawsuit.

[4] The Spencer 1882 uses a spring-mounted ejector that's situated in front of the right-side action bar, that catches the dispensed shell and draws it out of the gun from the concave top of the pivoted bolt.

[1][4] Much like modern, conventional pump-action shotgun designs, the Spencer 1882 holds its shells in a tubular magazine beneath the barrel.

[4][1][2] Even though it is regarded as the first successful pump-action shotgun, how it was received by its users during contemporary time remains unclear.

[4] This is further commented on by Michael McIntosh in his book "Shotguns and Shooting Three", in which he states that: "The Spencer, patented in April 1882 was the first successful [pump-action]; Winchester Model 1897 was the first truly great one.