Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of a Remington New Model Army Percussion Revolver, with a lovely patina from age and long use. Like all New Models, it is a .44 caliber percussion, 6 shot single action revolver, with an 8-inch octagon barrel. These were often called the Model 1858 due to the patent dates, but production of this revision started in 1863, and the "New Model Army" is the correct designation from Remington.

This example has definitely seen a lot of wear and been restored in the past, which has unfortunately completely removed the markings from the top of the octagonal barrel. They originally would have read:

This revolver has matching serial number 27865 appearing on the underside of the barrel and on the frame under the grip, while the rear of the cylinder is worn, just showing the numbers 7 and 5 faintly on the ratchet. Unlike Colt, Remington did not always number every component of their guns, especially the cylinder. Also the company sold extra cylinders, as the arbor pin was easily removable, allowing a spare loaded cylinder to be quickly fit into the revolver.

Overall condition is very good, having been fully reconditioned at some point, though we can definitely see that there was a good amount of past rust peppering on the exterior. This is particularly evident on the loading rammer and the hammer, while the frame and especially the cylinder don't show the same amount of wear. It has a fantastic broken in look that is impossible to duplicate. The revolver has a very nice set of walnut grips, which show only light wear, so we think they may be period replaced. They have a lovely red brown color, and the edges are still crisp. There are not any chunks, cracks, or other major damage, though there are no traces of cartouches.

The front of the barrel has the original "mortised" cone front sight present, which was a hold-over from the "Old Model", seen on early "New Model" revolvers. The bore is in good condition, still quite bright, however it definitely shows wear. The rifling is quite faint, so it looks like the revolver was used quite a bit, but also correctly cleaned, as we do not see any major past oxidation or fouling.

The action functions great, with accurate indexing, a solid cylinder lockup, and crisp dry fire. We did not notice any of the finicky behavior we usually see with revolvers of this age, and there is very little slop in the mechanics. It is a bit stiff, which is the only real "issue" that we noted. The cap nipples show light oxidation and fouling from use on the exterior, but all are still clear, without any mushrooming to the ends from hammer strikes.

Research shows that this revolver was manufactured in mid-late 1863, making this a true Civil War gun and perfect for any collection. Production had begun around serial number 15,000 in 1863. According to the research published in Remington Army & Navy Revolvers 1861-1868 by Donald L. Ware, Remington revolvers through serial #149,000 were accepted prior to the end of the Civil War. Guns below serial #123,000 were accepted prior to the end of 1864.

In very good condition with a lovely patina, this revolver will make a fine addition to any U.S. Civil War collection. Definitely a prime example!

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: mid-late 1863
Caliber: .44cal
Ammunition Type: Cap and Ball
Barrel Length: 8 inches
Overall Length: 14 inches
Action: Single
Feed System: 6 Shot Revolver

History of Remington New Model Army Revolver:

Remington, like Colt, was in business of arms making long prior to the Civil War. They had been producing handguns since 1857 when they introduced the Remington Beals Pocket Revolver. With the outbreak of the Civil War all of the company's energy became devoted to the military production of longarms and hand guns. The martial hand guns produced during the Civil War period included the Remington-Beals Army and Navy Model revolvers, the Remington Models 1861 Army and Navy Revolvers, (a.k.a. as the "Old Model Army" and "Old Model Navy") and the Remington New Model 1863 Army and Navy revolvers.

The Remington New Model 1863 Army Revolver represents Remington's highest production martial pistol. Approximately 126,000 were manufactured from 1863 to 1875. After Colt, it was the Northern government's most purchased and issued pistol. Serial numbers of the New Model Army continued from the Model 1861 Army. Reference sources estimate this change from between serial number 15000 (Flayderman) to 22000 (Reilly). This is probably due to a long transitional period in which there was a gradual change over of the design features between the two models. The earliest production models utilized the 1861 frames and had a somewhat longer grip. The stamping "New Model" on the barrel of the early models can also be noted to have been stamped with a separate die. Nearly 110, 000 New Models were purchased by the government during the Civil War, at prices between $10.82 and $15.50 each. These prices were lower than Colt's and by mid-1863, Colt was eliminated from the government contract business. The State of New Jersey also purchased several thousand for Civil War issue.

The New Model 1863 Army was the last of Remington's .44 caliber percussion revolvers. Remington Armies were used from the beginning to the end of the Civil War in all fields. They were considered to be among the finest martial handguns of the day. The Remington New Model 1863 Navy and it's forbear, the Remington-Beals Navy, also saw action during the war.

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